


Over the Hills and Far Away

by Freak_of_Madness



Category: Home Free, Oak Ridge Boys, Shinedown - Fandom
Genre: Angst, College, F/M, Friendship, Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-20
Updated: 2018-05-24
Packaged: 2019-02-04 20:48:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 38
Words: 115,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12779220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freak_of_Madness/pseuds/Freak_of_Madness
Summary: A set of triplets get the chance of a lifetime to work with Home Free, The Oak Ridge Boys, and Shinedown on a huge college project. Can these triplets overcome their past to embrace their future? What happens when people fall in love? *COMPLETED*





	1. The Stage is Set

My two sisters and I have had an.....interesting....life to say the least. We were working on our third degree. The first two being bachelor's in photography and a bachelor's in clothing/costume design. This one was a masters in Multi-Media. When we started college, we had no clue what we wanted to do. Really, we had no clue about anything but I'll tell you more about that a little later. Our second year of college, this round at least, we achieved something no other college student had ever achieved. We had one of our projects shown at TIFF, other words the Toronto International Film Festival. What a week that was!

We actually won an award which just blew our minds! We were working on another major project now and this one was something that I was incredibly excited to do. We had to take a song that told a story (think Harper Valley PTA, Fancy by Reba McIntyre, etc.) and make a movie out of it. We chose _'Over the Hills and Far Away'_ by Gary Moore. It was one of my favorite songs (at least the Nightwish cover of it, Gary's version made me want to take ice picks to my ears!) and one me and my sisters talked about a lot. 

Now, before I get into how things happened after we were given this project, let me tell you a little about my sisters and myself. We were born on a cold winter night in December just south of Dallas, Texas. Our mother and her entire family hail from Egypt while our father and his entire family hail from Finland. Strange heritage, eh? I've never figured out how our parents met or why they married. We actually have an older brother, Aji, who wound up staying with our father after our parents split. He's two years older than us.

I'm not sure what happened between Aji's birth and our conception. Gail, our mother, absolutely went off the deep end. She started partying hard. Staying out most of the night, drinking herself into oblivion, doing all sorts of illegal drugs, and even some "legal" drugs (which she didn't have an actual prescription for, but they belonged to other people she was hanging around with). Somehow amid all that, her and our father, Pentti, conceived for a second time. I'll just say that she was nowhere near as thrilled as he was that they were going to have another child. It got worse (or better in dad's case) when they found out we were going to be triplets!

At the tender age of 5 years old, we began to realize that we had to fend for ourselves. When there was food in the house, we usually made sandwiches for dinner. We learned how to bathe by ourselves, usually outside in the back yard with a water hose. On several occasions we had been locked out of the house and wound up staying the night a small utility shed that was situated about fifty feet from the back door to the house.

Every so often one of Gail's friends, or even her family, would stop in and give the house a thorough cleaning as well as doing all the laundry. We really did our best to learn how to do laundry on our own, but we were still too little to get it right. Besides becoming self-sufficient, we had to survive the abuse from the horrible excuse for a mother.

If she wasn't straight out neglecting us, she wasn't feeding us, or she would hit us or throw things at us in anger. The drugs she did impeded her better judgment. It wasn't uncommon for Gail's friends or "boyfriends" to get violent with the with us either. Each time someone tried to attack Kirsi or Taimi, I would instinctively try to goad them into attacking me. How I knew to do this, I've never understood. I always took the worst of the abuse because of this.

Kirsi would always doctor her slightly older sister after these incidents. Taimi become quite skilled at procuring the items we needed to doctor one another. We did our absolute best to protect ourselves from "mother" and her so-called friends but sometimes it wasn't quite so easy. I spent the most time in the ER from injuries I sustained at home. 

Well, how about we go back to the present? Reliving the past is making me sick to my stomach. So here we are, one group of students amongst quite a few who are getting a special project to do with some really amazing (and famous) people. We are making a "full-length, feature film" with famous musicians. We were going to be spending about two weeks at a hotel in Dallas so the school could obtain a bus for us, we could get to know the band that we were being assigned for this project, and we could prepare for this long (and quite amazing) journey. 

The band we were initially being put with was a little band out of Jacksonville, Florida. You might have heard of them. They're called Shinedown. I was a fan of the band before I actually knew who they were. I loved their rendition of "Simple Man" and "45" but never could find out who did it. Fast forward several years and they were wrapping up their tour cycle for 'Amaryllis' and I fell in love with them all over again. For me, this was an honor and privilege I never thought I deserved to be working with them!

Over the years that we'd been attending Baker University, we'd gotten really, really close with two of our professors. Jake Bouvier and Don Mackelroe. We checked into the hotel then headed upstairs to our respective rooms. While we were walking towards the elevators, Kirsi sent a text to Professor Bouvier (both liked us calling them by their first names if we were alone, off campus, or something like that) that we'd arrived and checked in and were heading to our rooms. There were all sorts of bands and artists here for this little "program" and I was in awe! 

Once the elevator doors dinged and the three of us were alone, Taimi giggled, "Did you see Slayer? And Anthrax? And James Hetfield?!"

"I was trying to make it seem like I wasn't looking." I shrugged indifferently, "But yeah. I saw them. And I swear I saw Barry and Jake from Shinedown walking towards one of the hotel restaurants."

"Oh my, they're already here!?" Kirsi gushed, "I thought we'd have another few days to prepare for that!"

We would be introduced to "our band" the following morning so we had the afternoon and evening free. Once we'd put our bags up, we decided to head back downstairs to see what we might want to do for the afternoon and evening. It wasn't cold outside, even though it was October, but it was still warm enough outside to be able to wear short sleeves and be comfortable. Gotta love living in the south! As Taimi was asking the receptionist what there was to do close by to the hotel, I began looking around. There was an older guy, who looked awfully familiar but I couldn't place him at that moment, speaking with a group of about five young guys. Most of them didn't look older than their early 20's.

"There's a movie theatre a few blocks to the left, some cafes and bars down the street to the right, a mall a few miles away." Taimi stated

"There's nothing really good playing right now." Kirsi retorted with a frown

"Then what do we want to do?" I asked my sisters, still unable to quit watching the group

The older gentleman said something making all five of the younger guys laugh. He smiled sweetly which, for some reason, made me smile too. 

"I need a break from working on projects and school work. Think maybe one of those bars might have pool tables or something?" Taimi asked

"Doesn't hurt to ask!" I laughed, "That sounds like a great idea, though. Get out and away from school for a little while before all the craziness starts. It's gonna be a bit strange for the three of us playing pool though." 

"No more than usual!" Kirsi retorted as we began walking outside

What I didn't realize was that I had caught the eye of one of the guys in that small group. Of course, my sisters and I tended to catch people's attention. For one, we were identical triplets. Secondly, we were.... very disproportioned. Or as most people would say 'very well endowed'. Our breasts were enormous for our small 5'0 frames (we were measured at a respectable lingerie store and discovered we were actually a size 30J), and our backsides were a bit bigger than what petite white girls should have. As a matter of fact, I was asked once if there was any African-American in my family because I had what he referred to as a "black girl ass". His words, not mine. 

We tried not to "flaunt" what had come naturally to us. The stares were not unusual as we walked casually down the street to one of the bars that was supposed to be a few blocks from the hotel. I was wearing a pair of, as Mr. Conway Twitty put it, tight-fittin' jeans that stopped around my hips (hip-huggers I believe most people called them), and a simple black tank top. Because of the size of my breasts, the bottom of my top came to around my belly button. I was also wearing a pair of simple black and white Converses. 

Now, I was not trying to look sexy or hip or anything like that. I wear what is comfortable and what I like. Taimi was dressing in a similar fashion to me. Kirsi was wearing a pair of black culottes, black flip flops, and a white tank top underneath a light blue peasant top. Comfortable but not slutty. We walked in and there were smattering of people there already, but the joint was not full by any means. Kirsi found us a table so we sat down and waited on a waitress to come along. Once we'd ordered drinks, Dr. Pepper or sweet tea for us, we decided to try and play some pool. 

We were having a good time just being goofy, playing pool, listening to whatever came on the jukebox, and making jokes. People came into the bar and people left. We really weren't "people watching" or anything. More just staying to ourselves and having a good time. The next thing I know, the bar is pretty darn full! Of course, it was also about 8pm and most of the rock bands were going out for the night and this seemed to be the favorite spot! Kirsi wanted to head back to the hotel to get something to eat and then head to bed. We were meeting with Shinedown tomorrow and then we really needed to kick it into high gear on working on our project.


	2. A personal favor

Our meeting with Shinedown had gone phenomenally well. They were all so down-to-Earth and seemed to really love our ideas on this project. Their wives were here as well so Taimi asked if they wanted to be a part of it which they were all very excited to do it! My sisters and I had long ago discovered our "process" for projects like this. We each had our strengths and weaknesses, so we played upon that. We were some of the top students in the whole University, not just our department so to speak, because of this. As we were walking to one of the cheaper restaurants in the hotel to grab a quick bite, the Dean of the University walked up and pulled me aside.

"Hi there Lilja, can we talk for a moment?" He asked, bright, infectious smile gracing his face

"Sure, Sir! What's up?" I asked

"Well, you know there's some country acts here. William Lee Golden of the Oak Ridge Boys and I have been friends since we were very young. I would consider it a great favor to me if you could put the Boys in your project. I'll set up a meeting with them for you, so you can get everyone on the same page. Will you do this for me?" He asked

I was taken aback! I wasn't a huge country fan, but the Oak Ridge Boys were legends in country music! Like Slayer or Metallica in the rock/metal world. He gave me another warm smile as he watched me debate with myself on the answer. Normally I'd talk something like this over with my sisters because we always make decisions together. 

"Uh, sure." I finally stuttered

He smiled even bigger at me before thanking me and promising this would be a life changing decision for us. Before we parted ways, he said he'd text me when our meeting would be with the Oak Ridge Boys. My stomach was already doing flip-flops as I walked to the restaurant where my sisters were waiting. I was so lost in my own thoughts I didn't notice I was being watched! Once I sat down, I blurted out the news about "The Boys". They gasped as I apologized for making such a decision without them. Taimi laughed softly and said it was ok. 

I would have to re-work the little I had already written for this project. You see, these types of projects I write it out like a story or book. I see the story playing in my head like a movie, so I write it out like a story as I said. Taimi proofreads it for me and I make any changes necessary. We'll do that several times until we're satisfied with it. Once it's "good to go" so to speak, Kirsi takes it over. She changes it from "story format" to "script format" so we can film it. So that's a glimpse at part of our "process"! 

After we ate, we headed straight up to our rooms. This meeting with "The Boys" would be soon I was sure of it and I wanted to be as prepared as possible. I did a little research on The Boys to see if they had any other talents besides singing. Anything I could showcase in our project. As it turns out, William Lee is an accomplished painter! Joe has written several books! Duane is a smart businessman! These I could definitely use. As I did my research, ideas began forming. I took a notepad that I always kept with my laptop for just such an occasion and began scribbling these ideas as they came to me. 

Back stories for each four of them began forming in my mind. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all! Kirsi had come in with her own notepad. She thought it was a good idea to bring something tangible to this meeting so that these legends could get a better understanding of what this project was about. I shared with my sister my ideas on their characters and she loved them! We didn't hear anything so sometime after 11pm, Kirsi and I decided to call it a night and get some rest. Sleep didn't usually come easily to me, as I did suffer from PTSD, and tonight was no exception. I hated waking my sisters up when I had nightmares, but I was helpless to do anything about it. 

My phone ringing is what woke me up the second time. It was the Dean calling me to say The Boys would be heading downstairs for breakfast in about half an hour and they wanted to meet with us then. I thanked the Dean as I slowly climbed out of bed. It was time for a quick shower after calling to wake my sisters up! I dressed pretty much like I had the day before so it didn't really take me long to be ready. I did, however, put my waist-length hair up in a high ponytail. 

My sisters met me at the elevator and we all had things we were bringing to this meeting. My nerves were acting up as I had never actually met any celebrities before. Here we are about to me living legends of country music! Taimi chuckled at my nervousness and said that we had earned this privilege and that things were going to be fine. We arrived before The Boys so we decided it would a good idea to get a table for all of us. There were at least four more people to our group and we didn't know what they would prefer for drinks. We asked the waitress to bring a pitcher of orange juice and pot of coffee for our table.

"How'd you sleep?" Kirsi asked us

"I was out a few minutes after I laid down. I think I tired myself out working on this project!" Taimi chuckled, making me smile

"Not so well for me." I shrugged, Taimi frowning

"Why didn't you sleep well?" We heard a deep-ish voice ask

"Oh my! You scared me!" I gasped making the four men who had come down for breakfast and a meeting with a trio of college students laugh

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." The mountain-man looking William Lee stated as he sat down

The rest of his group found seats as well. Taimi said coffee and orange juice was coming.

"Thank you so much for meeting with us." Kirsi stated politely

"Thank you for wanting to put us in your project!" Duane replied, flashing her a warm smile

The waitress arrived with a tall, glass pitcher of orange juice and a steaming pot of coffee. She passed out menus to the seven of us before formal introductions were made. Thankfully, why I hadn't slept well wasn't brought up again. Joe asked us about this project so Taimi handed him a copy of what our professors had given us. She explained that was the parameters of what we had to do before Kirsi told them about the song we were basing our project off of.

I don't think I'd ever been so nervous talking about school work before! They all seemed to like the ideas we had and even though two of the main characters were "living in sin by having this affair", they liked that we were still spreading the Word of God. Well for one, religion was a big part of life back in the 1800's (which is when we were setting this project) and although I wasn't looking at this project as a Christian or religious work, it did give us a platform to spread the true Word of God. I was a bit nervous when Kirsi explained about the "characters" we were thinking of for The Boys. William Lee chuckled when I explained that I wanted him as the town preacher and at night he would sit by his fire and paint. 

One by one, we explained each character and our thoughts on them. The Boys gave us some really great feedback and I began writing their ideas down so I wouldn't forget them. Breakfast had arrived but I barely ate because we were so caught up in this awesome meeting. I saw Joe's character as a farmer, loving the outdoors, happily married, and just an upstanding and helpful member of the community. He asked if his wife Mary could play his wife in our project and I was more than thrilled at that! He laughed when I said it would lend credence to their characters. 

These four men were so down-to-Earth, funny, and humble. I didn't see them as a group of "old guys". They were actually, well, hip! They were staying true to themselves but not afraid to try new things. It was actually refreshing, to be honest! We sat there talking about this project and getting to know one another long after we finished our breakfast. Before we, eventually, parted ways for the day they all wanted our numbers so they could reach us if need be. We got their numbers, their personal numbers, as well for the same reasons. It was exciting and humbling and mind-numbing all at the same time! 

Taimi was adamant we could pay for our portion of the meal but they insisted on paying for us. They each gave us a hug and told us how excited they were to be a part of our project. It was touching! Duane said they had to get on with their day but said they'd love to have another meal with us later. We quickly agreed before we left. I think we were all on cloud nine as we walked to the elevators. There were a few guys just coming off it as we approached. I swear they stared at us as we entered the elevator but we all just blew it off. Stares weren't new to us!


	3. Another personal favor!

The next few days were a whirlwind. We were spending most of our time either hanging out with Shinedown or in our rooms trying to work on our project. I needed to visualize some of the details so I asked the receptionist if there was a conference room available with a white board. To my very good luck, there was a small room available that actually had three fairly big white boards. I asked if I could use it and she had to get the manager for permission. After a short discussion, he agreed. I thanked him over and over as he walked me to it. He just chuckled and wished me good luck with my project. What I didn't know was that this little project was going to do more for all of us than I ever realized!

I moved the chairs and tables to the wall where there were no boards. I left a few chairs in the middle so I could down and look over my scribblings. The far left white board, which there were two side-by-side on one wall and the third was on the wall to the left, I had written the names of all the Shinedown guys, their head of security Jake, their manager Bill, all of the Oak Ridge Boys, and their manager Jim. The white board to the right of it, I started what I called the "skeleton" of the project. It had the main idea (in a round circle at the top which signified the 'head') followed by the branching of "side ideas" (arms of the skeleton), and so on. 

"What's all this?" I heard Duane ask as he entered my little "office"

"Hmm? Oh! Sometimes it helps me to visualize ideas and stuff when I'm working on big projects like this. I can see what I'm missing or what's needed, sometimes it helps keep me focus on main ideas and such." I tried to explain

"Oh wow. I came to ask a small favor of you." He stated getting right to the point

"Ok, what can I do for you?" I asked, turning to face and give him my full attention

"There's an a capella group I met a few years back. They did a remake of "Elvira" which is just phenomenal. I really try to do all I can to help these young men any time I can. I was wondering if you would put them in your project? I know you ladies and these gentlemen will get along really well and I think it could be the start of a very prosperous relationship for you all." He explained

"Oh. Uh. Hmm." I pondered, taken completely off guard by the request, "I don't see what it would hurt. I'll have to figure out what roles to put them in. I'll make it work, though." 

"I would consider it a personal favor. Thank you! I'll set up a meeting so you can get to know them and you can explain your project to them." Duane told me

"Sounds great! How many are there in this group and what are their names?" I asked, moving to the whiteboard where I'd written the names

"Tim, Adam, Rob, Austin, and Adam. I thank you again, sweetie. This means a lot to me." He stated

"I must thank you and I promise we'll make this project worthy of your generousness." I quickly retorted

"I have no doubts you will! Well, I should go and get things set up. I'll send you a text a little later, ok?" Duane said with a warm smile

He hugged me before he once again left me alone with my thoughts and project. Five more people to put in this project. Where was I going to fit them in? Surely, he wants them more than just background characters? I'd really need more information about them to get an idea of where they would best be placed. I plopped down in one of the chairs in the middle of the room and sighed. This was going to add so much more work to our already hectic project!

Kirsi called me so I packed up the little stuff I had and headed to her room. She wanted to know the plans for the evening but I was clueless. Of course, my mind was spinning trying to figure out where to place five new people in this story! As we were chatting, my phone rang. I nearly had a heart attack when I saw 'Duane Allen' on the caller ID. He was actually calling me! **ME!** With a slight shake to my hand, I answered it. He was calling to ask if we had dinner plans yet. Telling him that, no, we didn't, made him happy it seemed. He asked if we would meet them downstairs in an hour for dinner. I was quick to accept the invitation and said we'd seem them soon.

"Well, dinner plans have been made." I stated as Taimi entered

"Oh? What's up?" She asked

"Duane Allen called me and asked us to join them for dinner. We need to meet them downstairs in an hour." I replied

We thought it was just going to be us like it was at breakfast. I got my sisters up to speed on the ideas I'd had in the conference room and they liked what I'd come up with so far. They were a bit shocked to hear that Duane had asked me to add this other group to the project and that there were five guys in the group we now needed to work into it. Before I knew it, it was about time for us to start making our way downstairs. I got a text as we were walking towards the elevators. It was Duane, which surprised me, and he was asking me to bring my laptop with me. I replied what he said to my sisters and they were a bit confused as to why he wanted me to as well but we stopped by my room so I could pack it up (along with my mouse, power cord, and various flash drives that had lots of different projects on them). 

Stares as we walked from the elevators, and not all from everyday folks either, seemed to bother Taimi for some reason. It made me laugh but she didn't find it funny. Most of these bands/musicians had seen their share of "busty ladies" but I guess seeing it in triplets was new?! I saw William Lee's tall, bearded frame standing around, so I slightly quickened my pace. There were the other three gentlemen.....chatting with a five-some of much younger men! As we approached them, I realized it was the same group of guys I'd seen Duane chatting with the other day in the lobby. 

"Good evening, ladies! Glad you could make it!" Joe stated as soon as he'd seen us approaching

The whole group, all eight of them, turned around to look at us. I don't think I'd ever felt so uncomfortable in all my life! The other three members of The Boys just smiled warmly at us. I think the other five, however, had their jaws hit the floor. 

"Thank you for the dinner invitation." Kirsi politely replied

"Let's get seated then I'll make the introductions." Duane said with a warm smile

We all followed the older men into the restaurant while the five younger guys followed us. It made me a bit uncomfortable, but I was not about to say a word. There were twelve of us in total. The waitress situated three squared tables butted up end to end and there were five of us on each side facing one another while there was one person at each end of the table. We could all hear one another and not have to strain, really. 

"Guys, this is Lilja, Kirsi, and Taimi. They're the ones doing this project I was telling you about." Duane said as he pointed us out, "Ladies, these fine fellows are the a capella group known as 'Home Free'. This is Rob, Adam, Austin, Adam, and that there is Tim."

"Hello, nice to meet you." Taimi stated with a warm smile

"Those are some unusual names." Tim said, looking at me

Why did my heart just speed up slightly? And my goodness what a naturally deep voice he had! It reminded me of Richard, to be honest, and for some reason I really liked that.

"Well it's because our mother's family are all from Egypt and our dad's family all hail from Finland." I smiled

"Oh wow.... That's...... that's an unusual combination!" The one I think was Austin stated

"What did you tell them about our project?" Taimi inquired, looking down the table at Duane

"The basics, really. I think you ladies describe it better than I did." Duane replied, smiling in humor

So, my sisters looked over at me which meant I'd been silently voted to explain our project. Taking a deep breath, I began by giving them the "parameters" of this project. I then told them about the song that we were basing this project on and of the cover that Nightwish had done. They all seemed fairly interested, thankfully. Then I got into my ideas about filling the plot holes in the song story and my ideas on the characters, town, and other things. They all seemed to like what I had told them. 

They asked us questions about different things and we answered them as best as we could. Dinner was finally brought and William stopped the conversation so we could pray. It was. . . . different for us. Once we'd prayed, we got right back into the conversation we were having. Tim was the one I'd locked eyes with the other day. Now, I would look up and catch his eyes and had to suppress a smile. Deep chocolate eyes. Soulful, too. Duane asked if we could show them some of our work. Taimi said we had lots of different projects of various lengths and different types that we would gladly show them. 

Kirsi and I stood up so we could pull a table that was behind us closer to us so I could set up my laptop. She and I talked about what to show them first. As my laptop started to boot up, I began to silently panic. What was I going to show them? It had to be good, entertaining, and showcase at least some of our skills. Well, we are surrounded by singers. Once my laptop finished booting up, I plugged in one of my flash drives and got the project I wanted to show ready to go.

"Uh, so this little project we were using a program called After Effects. We had to take music and create something with it." I started out

"Bad description, sis." Kirsi stated making the whole table laugh

I stuck my tongue out at my slightly younger sister making the table laugh even harder (and Tim's deep voice carried into his laugh which was just...oh my), "So we basically did what xBox did with equalizers and music. Still a bad description but, uh, here it is."

I got the piece to playing before turning around in my seat to try and eat a little of my dinner before it got cold. Everyone was half-way eating and half-way watching my laptop. A few guys had to move around to see it, so my sisters and I just sat there silently. I felt like I was being watched but I refused to look up from my plate. The song wasn't very long, just a few minutes as most songs are, and it ended way too soon for me. I turned around to find another project to show them. As I was looking through my flash drive, they all exclaimed how much they liked that one and how professional it looked. 

I was so thankful Kirsi and Taimi were taking the lead on speaking right now! There was a short, animated project we did that was really funny, at least to me, so I thought they might like it too. I got it set up to play then turned back around. With a deep breath, I looked around at the table, avoiding looking at Tim as I did so.

"This one is an animated short. We had to create original characters and basically make a short video from it. There weren't many parameters to it other time and originality." I stated before getting it to play.

It was playing, the guys were watching, and my sisters and I were eating. Things were going relatively smoothly. Until my ex-boyfriend showed up. He yelled out my name and I immediately groaned. Tim cocked his eyebrow at me but I quickly looked away before excusing myself.


	4. Ugh

"What do you want, Chuck? I'm having dinner and a meeting with some important people." I stated, unable to keep the irritation out of my voice

"What's so important about them? I thought y'all weren't going to be a part of this program?" He inquired, looking over my shoulder at the large table of people

"They're all going to be in our big project although that's really none of your business. Professor Bouvier convinced us to go ahead and apply. Is there something you need? My dinner is getting cold." I said as I crossed my arms across my chest

"Chuuuuuck? Aren't we going to find a table?" Christina, the whore he had been cheating on me with our whole relationship, stated as she sauntered up looking like a whore, "Oh. Hi Lilja. What are you doing here?"

I groaned as I rolled my eyes, "I was having dinner until Chuck interrupted it."

"Having dinner with a bunch of guys?" Christina huffed, "let me guess why."

Once again I groaned and rolled my eyes, "I'm going back to my table now."

I turned to walk back to my table and noticed Tim and the blond Adam were watching me closely. Chuck grabbed a hold of my right arm and kept me from walking away which annoyed me. I turned back around and glared at him.

"What do you want, Chuck?!" I exclaimed a bit angrily

"Why are you having dinner with a bunch of dudes?" He questioned

"I already told you, you jerk. Now let me go so I can finish my dinner." I stated

"Oh, come on. You're not fooling anyone. Everyone knows what you used to do for a living!" Chuck retorted making me gasp

"First of all, working a stripper isn't anything to be ashamed of. There's no need to bring it up like it's a bad thing. Secondly, I don't honestly know what you think is 'actually' going on but whatever it is, I assure you it's not happening. Thirdly, this is more like a business dinner than a social visit. Fourth, whatever we're doing is really none of your damned business." I exclaimed angrily

"Innocent people don't get this defensive." Christina laughed

I wanted to shove her on her flat, nearly non-existent butt but I knew there were nine men watching me closely. As I looked between Chuck and Christina, who were both smirking at me, I just took a deep breath and turned back to head back to my table. 

"Lilja, can I have a word with you?" One of our Universities' professors (and one I really didn't like) said as he walked up

I couldn't stop the sigh as I turned around to see what he wanted with me. He gave me a 'look' to silently let me know he heard my sigh. This nice evening was rapidly turning sour.

"Yes?" I simply stated

"You ladies have turned in all your projects, homework, and completed all the testing that was required, correct?" He asked

I just looked at him blankly. Did he think we were lazy or stupid? Did he think we just blow off schoolwork? He stared at me as he awaited my response.

"Uh, yeah. That's why we're here already. Everything has been completed and turned in." I retorted, not bothering to hide my annoyance with him

"There's no need for the attitude, Miss." He said shaking his finger at me, "I'm just trying to make sure all the students have completed the requirements for this program before they hit the road."

Some days I really had a problem with authority! He went on to lecture me about commitments, the importance of our schoolwork, and "proper behavior" for college students with all these "celebrities". By this point I'd crossed my arms across my chest, again, and was standing there looking bored as he went on and on and on. Surely my dinner was cold already and that added to my annoyance. He had turned to start pacing so I took the opportunity to bolt out of the restaurant. No goodbyes, no excuse me's, just bolted from the restaurant and headed straight to the closest bar/lounge in the restaurant. 

I had my id, room key, and some cash in my back pocket so I sat down on a stool in the bar and ordered myself a shot of Vodka. As soon as it was set down in front of me, I downed it. A second shot was ordered and it was downed just as quickly. Shot number three was brought and yet again I slammed it back. Sitting there trying to calm myself down, I began debating on whether I should go back to the restaurant. Hearing Chuck and Christina laughing, I just ordered yet another shot. My intentions weren't to be rude to the people at our table but between Chuck, Christina, and Professor, I was not in the mood to be social.

One more shot downed and I threw some money on the bar. There was a good buzz going but I was by no means drunk. I didn't want to go back to my room, didn't want to go back to the restaurant, so I opted to head to the conference room where I had been working. Everything was still there so I just got back to working on our project. There was a brand-new notepad and some pens on the desk that weren't there when I left. There were five more people I needed to fit into this and I had no clue what to do with them. 

I made a "table" with most of the players for main characters:

**Barry Blacksmith/gunsmith**

**Eric carpenter**

**Zach Husband/fur trader/trapper**

**Brent Cart-wright**

**William Lee Preacher/painter**

**Joe Farmer/rancher/writer**

**Duane General store owner**

**Richard Father/banker**

**Tim Lover/livery stable owner/operator**

**Adam R Duane's son/store worker**

**Austin Leatherworker**

**Rob Saloon owner**

**Adam C Barbershop owner**

**Bill Sheriff**

**Jake Prison Guard**

**Jim Physician/Surgeon**

**Luke Lawyer**

**Lilja Wife/homesteader**

**Kirsi sewing/quilting/canning supplies shop owner/Brent's wife**

**Taimi Friend/homesteader/Austin's wife**

I was in the middle of working out the main story ideas so I didn't hear anyone walk up. It wasn't unusual for me to get tunnel-visioned when working on projects. That's probably why I never heard anyone walk into the room or sit down in a chair. I was so into what I was doing, getting lost in the story that had already been written, and the story that I was weaving into that, that I never felt someone staring at me. It wasn't until I started getting thirsty and decided to find a drink machine and turn around did I notice I wasn't alone.

"AH! Oh my God you scared me!" I exclaimed making him laugh

"Sorry, darlin'. I didn't mean to scare you." He stated, flashing me a friendly grin, "You bolted from the restaurant and never came back. Your sisters said you were fine so we all headed out to go bowling but. We tried to find you first but you were nowhere to be found."

"Oh." I simply stated, "Sorry about that."

"What happened? If you don't mind me asking?" He asked, scratching at his beard

"Uh, idiots. And jerks. I was so irritated that I knew I wouldn't be very socialable. Figured the best thing for me to do was try and get some work done." I replied with a shrug

"I understand. It's pretty late, though. Are you going to be heading up to bed anytime soon?" William Lee asked 

"Oh. Yeah, I probably should." I chuckled, "Thanks for checking in on me."

He walked with me to the elevators and we chatted about his painting the whole way. He promised to show me some of his paintings and photography sometime which made me smile up at him. We made it to my floor first so when the elevators dinged, he gave me a hug. How on Earth did my life go from what it started out like to this?! Once I was in my room, I slipped out of my shoes, stripped out of my clothes, and crawled into bed. I was out before I registered hitting the pillow.


	5. Plot holes

The next morning I got a quick shower, took the notepad I was using for notes, my laptop case (which had somehow appeared on my dresser) and headed downstairs to get breakfast. I hadn't run into anyone I knew so I sat by myself and enjoyed a quiet, but quick, breakfast. Once I was done, I headed straight to the conference room to delve back into this project. I scribbled down what I'd written on the white board the previous evening as well as the "new" notes I'd scribbled too.

I got my laptop set up and plugged in then got the song going on repeat. On the white board that I had not yet touched, I wrote at the very top **"plot holes that need answering/fixing"**. I just stood there and closed my eyes listening to the song. A few things came to mind so I wrote them down before standing back to look over notes. Sometime later, Kirsi and Taimi came in. I got them both up to speed on my progress which they seemed to like. The three of us sat down, with the song still on repeat, and began bouncing ideas off one another. I finally stood up and headed to the "plot holes" board. They had their own _"plot holes"_ that they thought were big enough that we should address them:



**How did the wife and lover get involved?**

** Who actually framed the lover?**

** Did the lover survive/make it out of prison?**

** What happened after he was released?**

** What did the wife do while the lover was in prison?**

** What happened in the wife & husband's marriage after the lover was sent to prison?**

"So this is where you ladies are hiding!" We heard Joe's cheery voice exclaim, "What's all this?"

"Hello, Joe! This is. . . well . . . this is our process." Kirsi chuckled

"Oh wow." Rob stated as he walked in

"What's playing?" Joe inquired as Rob whipped his phone out and began texting someone

"The song that's playing is the song we're basing this project off of." I explained before turning to Taimi, "Sis, would you get us a printer? I want to see the lyrics. And it might help the fellas to be able to see them as well."

"Sure thing sis!

Taimi left the small group to do as I asked. Joe commented that this was really interesting the way we worked which made me and Kirsi laugh a little. A few minutes later, Austin and Tim arrived with William Lee. Taimi returned a minute or so later with a frown and said we'd have to go out and buy one. Joe was quick to say he'd be happy to go with whichever one of us was going to head out to find a printer. 

"What on Earth is all this?" Austin inquired making us girls laugh again

Taimi said she'd go to get us a printer and what-nots while Kirsi explained that this was part of our process in doing big projects like this. He just nodded in understanding. Professor Bouvier entered with a smile. We greeted him warmly, and with hugs, as he asked us how things were going. Kirsi got him up to speed on the nine new people in our lives before I got him up to speed on what little I'd gotten done. He asked if we'd showed the fellas the _"Animal I've Become"_ DVD we'd put together which made the small group look at us expectantly. Kirsi smiled and said she'd go get a few copies and be right back.

"So, is it coming along as smoothly as you'd hoped?" He asked me after she left

"For the most part. Right now I'm mostly working on getting the characters created and back stories and the like." I retorted

"Hey Lilja! I'm sorry to bother you but I need some help." Shannon, a fellow college student, asked as she entered with her laptop underneath her arm

"Excuse me for a minute guys." I said as I looked around the room (and avoiding eye contact with Tim) before turning to Shannon, "What's up?"

"Well, I'm having hell with this stupid program." She replied

It wasn't really much help. That could mean a myriad of things. Some I may be able to help with and some I may not.

"What are you trying to do?" I asked as I moved to let her sit her laptop on the table

"Jukebox. I have gone over the coding so many damned times and it still doesn't want to work right." She replied with a huff

I looked at her coding and everything seemed to be in order. At least on first glance. My next step was to see the Jukebox on the site she was building. It was really messed up, the Jukebox part anyways, and wasn't playing music. _"It has to be with the coding somewhere"_ I told her making her frown. So, I pulled up a chair and went back through her coding. It took me a few minutes but I finally realized her problem. Some of the coding was actually in the wrong place. I showed her then changed it for her and saved her work. When we went back to the preview version of her site it looked and worked beautifully. She was so happy and grateful that she flung herself in my arms and thanked me over and over. I could only laugh as I hugged her back.

"I'm back. Hey Shannon! How's it going?" Kirsi asked

"Fantastic now that your sister has fixed an issue that's been bugging me for a few days! Thanks again, Lilja! I really appreciate it. I'll let y'all get back to your work now." Shannon said before waving goodbye and leaving

"So, this project was the first really big one we did. It kind of set the bar for all other projects." Kirsi stated as she took the DVD out of the box and inserted it into my disc drive

"Tell them about the showing!" Professor Bouvier beamed making William cock his eyebrow at us

I had to chuckle at our professor. He always seemed to love bragging on us and I never really understood why.

"Ok so this project was due on a certain day so we decided to have a midnight showing the night before. We created movie posters and movie trailers that were all played and put up around the campus the previous week, right? Well the night of the showing, we rented a red carpet and spotlights and got them set up to the entrance to the auditorium on campus." I started out as both Adams, Duane and Richard arrived

"We had moved the movie posters that day and got them set up around the auditorium. People were showing up in tux's, fabulous dresses, the whole nine yards. We had the red carpet roped off too so it really felt like you were coming to a Hollywood movie premier. Inside the auditorium, we had a little "booth" set up where people could buy the DVD of what they were about to see.

Now, on this DVD we of course have the project itself. We also included credits. 99% of the people who worked on this project were other college kids so we did the credits like you'd see in a real movie." I stated

"On a side note to that, we gave everyone who helped us on that project a copy for free so that they had it for their own portfolios." Kirsi added in

"Yeah we did. Taimi took lots of videos and pictures like the "behind the scenes" type stuff that we put on their as some of the 'extra features'. We did a short Q&A talking with us about the project and stuff like that." I stated

"What about the project itself?" Professor Bouvier questioned, already knowing all about it

"We had use After Effects, use music effectively, and it had to be at least 45 minutes long. There were a few other parameters but I've already forgotten what they were. Anyway, this particular project is one that people love and rave as a great psychological thriller type thing or hate as being too creepy and making no sense. I guess in essence it's really a bit of both." Kirsi explained for me as I was navigating the DVD menu

"To understand this project, you really have to know us and our whole life story for much of it to make sense. But that's a whole other issue. We even did the DVD front and back sleeves like a real movie." I said as I handed out the few copies my sister had brought down

"Oh wow. This looks really cool." Austin stated, giving us a warm grin

"So, here's all the extra's we added on the DVD. Kirsi can navigate for ya." I chuckled as Taimi and Joe finally returned. 

She and I got the printer set up, ink and paper loaded, and now I was waiting on Kirsi to finish with my laptop. Taimi chuckled and said she'd go fetch hers. 

"Do you still have the movie posters you created?" Tim asked

"Oh yeah. We made, three I believe, and we saved a copy of one of each. We also took a good photo of each one for our e-folio. I believe the actual posters are in storage right now." I replied with a shy smile

"Would you consider doing something like that again?" Duane asked as he and a few others found seats

"Oh absolutely! It was such a blast to do!" I exclaimed, grinning widely making the older man smile back

Taimi finally returned with her laptop and an HDMI cable so we could hook up my laptop to the giant tv screen on the wall. It would make it easier for all these guys to watch what was being shown. As Kirsi and Taimi got all that set up, I started printing off the lyrics to _"Over the Hills and Far Away"_. I kept one and put the rest in a pile on the desk by my laptop. While everyone was otherwise busy, I got back to work. Next to **"plot holes that need answering/fixing"** I added **"facts"**. 



_Winter night_

_ Wife/lover were together night of robbery_

_ She wrote him in prison_

_10 year prison sentence_

I turned around to ask Kirsi something and found Tim watching me. All I could do was stare back then cock my eyebrow at him. He smiled warmly at me before turning back to watching what Kirsi was showing them. By that point, I'd already forgotten what I was going to ask my sister! I was a bit thirsty, so I slipped through the group to go find something to drink. There weren't many options, so I went upstairs to find a drink machine. With a cold Dr. Pepper in my hand, I started back downstairs.

Of course, on my way through the lobby who did I run into? Yep, Chuck and Christina. He asked me which one I was sleeping with because I had no right to be sleeping with anyone. Have I mentioned how much he annoys me? I flipped him off and kept walking to my conference room. Everyone was sitting around watching "Animal I've Become" so I cautiously made my way back to my white boards to get back into the current project.

I moved to our "skeleton" and began trying to flesh out the main story and plot points that needed to be addressed, added, or fixed. There were also the minor stories and plot points that needed to be worked on so while our other project was playing, I was busy. Before I knew it, I felt myself being pulled around into a hug. My shocked expression seemed to amuse a few people! Duane had pulled me into a hug after seeing this project.

"I don't know your life, but I can tell you ladies have gone through some things. If you ever need someone to talk to, we will always be here." He told me

"Uh....thanks." I stammered

I really hate being put on the spot. They all hugged each one of us but the Home Free guys didn't. I'm not sure if I should be thankful or worried about that! Jim, The Boys' manager, came wandering in and said they had a couple interviews they needed to get to. So they bid us a friendly goodbye but not before Duane asked if they could have a copy of "Animal I've Become". Taimi smiled warmly as she handed him one the DVD's. Kirsi's phone rang so she stepped outside to answer it leaving just me and Taimi with the fellows of Home Free. 

"What time is it?" I asked my sister

"It's about 11:30am." She replied, "Why?"

I couldn't help but laugh nervously, "I'm hungry."

"Wanna split a pizza?" She asked

"Are there any good pizza joints around here?" Austin asked

"That, I don't know." I stated with a frown, "Well, besides like Pizza Hut or Domino's."

So, we parted ways with these five guys. They were talking about something else as we were leaving. We walked probably four blocks before we found a mom-and-pop type of pizza joint. Nothing else was sounding good so we walked in. The prices were reasonable, the place was clean (even though it was moderately busy), and everyone was very friendly. We sat down at a booth and waited on the waitress. Supreme pizza and Dr. Pepper's all around for our little trio. As we sat there, we began talking of the nine guys who seemed to be taking a lot of interest in us.


	6. Write, write, write!

We finally had a bus of our own which meant we were about to be hitting the road. We did have a year to complete this project, but my sisters always completed things early. We were moving most of our stuff onto our brand-new bus so that we wouldn't have to do it in the early hours of the morning. Once I was done with that, I was sitting in "my" conference room feverishly typing away as ideas suddenly came flowing like a gushing river. 

I was typing and saving, typing and saving. It was finally coming along at a decent pace. There was all the editing (aka, proof reading) that would need to be done and then Kirsi taking it and making the "movie script format" out of it so we can start filming. As a matter of fact, I worked straight through lunch. When Duane came in, it shocked me to discover it was nearly 7pm! He was inviting us to dinner with The Boys and Home Free. 

I saved my work then shut my laptop down. Since I didn't have time, really, to take my laptop back to my room, I just brought it with me. Once again, we were dining in one of the hotel restaurants, apparently it had really good steak, so Duane and I chatted as we slowly walked to where we'd be dining this evening. Austin and Joe were already there waiting on us. The rest of our group should be arriving any moment, according to Joe.

Once everyone had arrived, with us earning hugs from every single person, we headed into the restaurant. We were seated at a large table and Tim moved around so that he was sitting across from me. Rob was to my immediately right and Joe on my left. We were all having a good time, laughing, making jokes, the guys telling us touring stories. I was really feeling like these guys were becoming friends. 

I had excused myself to head to the ladies' room. Emptying my bladder felt good and I let out a satisfied sigh as I finished my "business". After washing my hands, I left the bathroom and was walking back to my table. Of course, things were going good so Chuck had to do his best to ruin my day.

"What's up with you and the long-haired brunette?" Chuck questioned making me roll my eyes at him 

"What do you mean, Chuck?" I asked with a huff

"The other night he was sitting in front of you. Tonight he's sitting in front of you. What's up with that?" He questioned, poking me in the chest with his bony little pointer finger

I glanced over at our table and found Tim, Adam, and William Lee watching us. I turned my attention back to Chuck and grinned.

"Good luck?" I stated

"Very funny." Chuck replied

"What the hell do you want from me? We don't coordinate who sits where." I stated rolling my eyes again, "Now my dinner is getting cold."

"The whore still not admitting she's fucking one of them yet?" I heard Christina say as I was just a few feet away from them

I stopped, turned around, and was going to say something to the pair. Then I decided against it and just turned back around. Unceremoniously, I sat back down in my chair and scooted close to the table. Kirsi gave me a look, silently questioning the incident but I just shrugged as Rob asked me about the project. 

"Who was that kid? I've seen him before and he always seems to piss you off." Tim suddenly asked me

I didn't even know how to respond to that. Rob was looking at me, as well, awaiting my response.

"He's my ex-boyfriend. Broke up with him a long time ago but he doesn't seem to either believe it or want to acknowledge the fact." I stated calmly, avoiding eye contact by looking at Tim's chest 

"Ah. Every time he comes around, you seem to get irritated." Tim stated as he cut a piece of steak

"Yeah. That's because he's a jealous idiot." I retorted, making Rob laugh and Tim just smirk

"How's your project coming along?" Joe asked, changing the subject

"It's actually coming along pretty well. I didn't realize I'd worked through lunch because the writing was coming along so well." I smiled at the nearly-hyperactive senior citizen!

"That's good, isn't it?" Adam, Chance being his last name and what everyone wanted us to call him, asked looking between me and my sisters

"Yeah it is." I stated, "So forgive me if I devour my dinner. I missed breakfast this morning and like I said, I wound up working straight through lunch."

"That's not good, sweetie." Duane stated making me smile

"I know, but when it comes, it comes like a flood. If I don't get it written as it comes to me I'll forget it. If that makes sense." I said, furrowing me brows

"Excuse me, Lilja. After dinner, would you mind helping me with my project?" A fellow student, Marie, asked

"Hey Marie! Not at all. I'll send ya a text when I'm done." I replied, turning in my seat to look at her

"Thank you so much! It's going to be so hard not being able to get real help with some of this stuff when we're all off with our bands." Marie chuckled

Well, so much for working more on our project. She bid me a goodbye before walking away and letting me get back to my dinner. When I looked up, I found Tim looking at me with a sweet smile. I smiled shyly back before darting my eyes to my plate. Kirsi was talking with William Lee, Richard, and Adam about who knows what while Taimi was chatting with Chance (I don't know if I'll ever be able to call him by his last name, lol), Rob, and Duane. The rest of us were sitting there silently eating our dinner. 

All too soon I was done so I excused myself. I grabbed my laptop bag and left the table. As I was walking away, I could have sworn I felt eyes on me but I did my best to ignore it. Once I was out of the restaurant, I sent a text to Marie to meet in my little conference room so I could help her. It took her a few minutes to get down here so I got my laptop booted back up and ready to help my fellow student. While I waited, I got back to working on our project. Thankfully I didn't have to wait long on Marie.

She came in with her own laptop and we got to work immediately on this little tutoring/project help session. As we were working, I never realized that people would come to the door and just stand there watching us. They would eventually leave us alone, although I never even realized it, without a word spoken. Marie and I worked for a few hours before she got what I was trying to help her with. She was so excited she hugged me tightly in thanks! I couldn't help but laugh softly as I hugged her back. This was why we almost never minded helping our fellow students. 

It was kinda late so I opted to save my work, shut down, and then head on up to my room. We were leaving mid-morning the following day so I thought I'd take a nice, hot bubble bath. Once I was in my room, I stripped down and got my bubble bath going. The hot water felt good! As I leaned against the back of the porcelain tub, I began thinking of the last few days and what a whirlwind it's been thus far. Tomorrow we were actually leaving to hit the road and things were going to get a lot more chaotic. 

Suddenly I began thinking of our past and I started to tear up. These guys were so nice to us but they didn't know about us. They didn't know what a monster I was. They didn't know the awful things I've done in my life. Once they find out, they're not going to be so nice to us. I'm sure they'll never really want to speak to us again after that. I'm not sure why that idea hit me so hard. It's not like we were besties and hanging out all the time with these guys. I was in tears when my water started getting cold so I quickly bathed then climbed out. I actually cried myself to sleep that night. 

I packed up what little I had kept with me and headed to the elevators for a quick breakfast. As I approached the restaurants, someone smacked me on my ass. I whipped around and glared at one of the other college students. He had a reputation for being handsy and not really taking 'no' for an answer. He just laughed as I told him to quit touching me. 

"Why should I?" He questioned

In one swift movement, I had him pinned up against the wall next to the door to one restaurant. His eyes were wide in shock and a bit fear.

"Because if you don't, and you know my reputation and that I'm more than capable of this, I will break your hand and all five fingers." I hissed angrily, "Don't fucking touch me."

I let him go and turned to head into the restaurant. He once again smacked my ass. I dropped my bags before whipping back around and grabbing ahold of his hand. He was making all sorts of inappropriate comments, and threats in a nonchalant way, so I just grinned evilly at him

"Whatcha gonna do, little girl?" He taunted me

"I fucking told you what I was gonna do." I stated as I bent his middle finger backwards so far that I heard a nauseating snapping sound

He screamed in pain as I broke his fingers one-by-one. I left him there holding his hand full of broken fingers and picked up bags off the floor. As I was walking into the restaurant, where all five of the Home Free fellas were at and watching the door intently, I felt myself being shoved forward. This was definitely not how I wanted my morning to go! I dropped my bags and spun around getting into what an old martial arts teacher once called a "fighters stance". He was calling me all sorts of names so I took one of my knives and hit his injured hand with the closed end of it. I could hear the crunching sound of the bones in his hand breaking. Somehow, he wound up back handing me causing my lip to split and bleed. I threw a good right-hook at him busting his nose pretty damned good.

Before a full-on fist fight could happen, hotel staff came in and escorted him out. They were apologizing to me for not stepping in sooner. I just shrugged as I picked up my bags. One of the waitresses said she'd get me a rag with some ice for my poor busted lip. The kid was screaming at the top of his lungs and calling me names as he was drug somewhere. Turning back around, I found Austin standing up and waving me over to their table. Honestly, I didn't want to sit with them because I knew they wanted to know all about that encounter. I looked at them all and could see the concern in their faces. 

"Damn girl. Looks like you got a mean right hook!" Tim said with soft laughter as if he were trying to ease the tension

"What on Earth was that about?!" Chance asked

"Are you ok?" I heard Rob inquire

"Who was that jerk?" Austin asked

"What was up with that messed up hand of his?" Adam asked

"Ok, ok, guys. One question at a time." I chuckled as the waitress brought me the rag with ice, "He's an idiot who doesn't know how to keep his hands to himself. Yes, Rob, I'm fine. He smacked my ass on the way in here so I told him to not touch me or I'd break his hand and all five fingers. He didn't listen so now he has a broken hand and five broken fingers. Still couldn't keep his hands to himself."

"You never fail to impress." Tim said, voice low and sexy

"Are you sure you're ok? Let me see your lip." Rob stated making me laugh

They all looked at me funny as the waitress came back with a menu. I asked for a glass of sweet tea and ordered my breakfast before I'd answer them.

"Look, this ain't my first altercation and I can guarantee it won't be my last. I promise you I am perfectly ok." I said looking at Rob with a half-smile, "I've had much worse injuries than this so don't worry about me."

"Oh really?" Austin asked, eyes a bit wide

"What the hell is this that I hear of you attacking other students?" Professor Asshat (one professor that I really, really hate) exclaimed as he came up to where I was sitting

"Firstly, he smacked my ass. Twice. I told him if he did it again I was gonna break his fingers. Not my fault he's dumb enough to not keep his hands to himself." I retorted, not bothering to look up at him

"I highly doubt that with your.... **history**." He countered

"What in the hell is that supposed to mean?" Tim demanded, voice dropping in anger

Asshat laughed, clearly amused at their ignorance of me and my sisters. I turned to glare at him, silently telling him to shut it. He looked down at me and shook his head no.

"Don't tell me she hasn't informed you of her....past?" He questioned earning head nods of 'no' from most, "Well, I'll just leave it at: I wouldn't turn my back on her. If I hear so much as you raising your fist to another student, I will pull you off this program so fast it'll make your head swim."

"Tim, calm down man." Rob stated making me look over at Tim who was balling and unbaling his fists, "So, uh, what was that all about?"

"Nothing." I stated before throwing money down for my breakfast that hadn't arrived yet

I grabbed my stuff and bolted from the restaurant. Don't get me wrong. I'm not ashamed of sticking up for me and mine. However, I don't like being put on the spot like that. I found our bus pretty quickly. Our driver was there doing a last minute check and he let me onto the bus. My laptop bag was thrown onto the couch on the left side of the bus as I walked to the "bunk area". Taimi and I both claimed bottom bunks and Kirsi was sleeping on the bunk above Taimi. As I was putting my stuff up, my sisters boarded.

"Hey sis, word on the street is that you got into it with Damon. Dumb kid has five broken fingers and a broken hand!" Taimi exclaimed 

"We have a tentative tour schedule and we're supposed to start planning our filming days." Kirsi added in

"We're nowhere close to being ready for filming!" I yelled, voice getting a bit high in my near-panicked state

"Chill! They all know that. They're telling all the groups of students this. And we have notes from Jim, Jo, and Luke." Kirsi said, giving my shoulder a light squeeze

I sighed with relief as I followed my sisters up front. Kirsi was getting a white board set up in front of the window behind the couch on the right side of the bus. Taimi was getting another set up right next to it while I sat down and begun reading over the notes from the three band's managers. We'd be in each town basically three days. Each band would perform one night while the other two had the nights off. We'd leave town after the third show for the next venue. It would help us with our filming or at least it was supposed to. I smiled at the notes that we were given before taking my laptop to the "kitchen" table to get it set up so I could continue writing our story.

The bus jerked forward and it got my attention. Apparently, we were finally getting ready to hit the road. This was it. This crazy ride was for real. On the road with a rock band, a country band, and an a capella group. I took a deep breath before turning my attention back to my writing. I sent my sisters what I had so far so they could look it over and make sure everything was making sense for what we had discussed. My life right now was write, write, write!


	7. 2am Wal-Mart run

As I was writing, my phone buzzed signaling a new text. I rolled my eyes figuring it was Chuck trying to push my buttons today. At first I was going to ignore him but then decided to check it in case it was someone important.

_"We were all just wanting to make sure you ladies were ok. We heard something about a sexual assault in the lobby this morning. If you need anything, please let us know -e-"_

I had to smile at Eric's text. It didn't take me long to respond. For the next hour or so, he and I texted back and forth. He was really funny, and a bit flirtatious (which really surprised me because I thought he and Kellie were really happy), and I liked talking with him. My laughter made Taimi look over at me in question. I let her read our conversation and even she said it sounded like he was being a bit flirty. We weren't stopping for lunch because all the bands had food on their busses. Kirsi went to find something to eat and suddenly grumbled that we didn't have anything on our bus. Nothing at all. Taimi asked what the hell we were supposed to do for lunch as my stomach began grumbling.

Thankfully it wasn't too long after that that our little caravan pulled into a truck stop for fuel. We grabbed our wallets and were quick to pile out of our home-on-wheels. We told our driver we were heading inside to grab a bite to eat. He smiled at us and reassured us he wouldn't leave without us. I was laughing as we walked into the building. My stomach was making noises as I made my way to where all the hot foods were at.

"You probably wouldn't be this hungry if you hadn't skipped out on breakfast." I heard a deep voice say from behind me

I turned around in fight mode making the tall brunette throw his hands up defensively. I blushed at my mistake making him chuckle at me.

"Sorry about that." I mumbled before turning back around to find myself something to eat

"Why _did_ you leave so suddenly?" He asked as he followed me around

"Never mind about that." I quietly stated as I picked up two boxed slices of pizza

He continued to follow me as I went to get myself something to drink. I found Taimi by where the cold bottled drinks were at being chatted up by Austin. He smiled warmly at me and I gave a small smile back. She seemed happy chatting with him.

"I'm not going to pry about your personal life. If you ever want to talk, we're all willing to listen." He said, voice soft and calm

I looked up at him after grabbing two Dr. Pepper's from the case. Those dark eyes were just staring at me. I gave him a shy smile before thanking him. His smile could be very infectious, and I found myself smiling a bit bigger at him.

"Hey sis. What did you find?" Kirsi asked as she came to a stop by where we were standing

"Pizza!" I happily exclaimed

"Ooooh, where?!" Taimi stated, eyes wide

"Over that way!" I said, trying to point at where it was but having a hard time since my arms were pretty full

"Why are y'all getting food here?" Austin asked me

"Because there's nothing to eat or drink on our bus. I don't know about my sisters, but I missed breakfast. We figured this would be the best place to get a bite before dinner." I answered him

Austin furrowed his brows like he didn't understand why there was no food on our bus. With a shrug, I walked over to the counter to pay for my lunch. My wallet had slipped out of my arms and hit the floor so I set all my stuff on the counter then bent down to pick it up. When I stood back up, the guy behind the counter was handing Tim change. The tall brunette smiled at me before walking away. The guy behind the counter said my stuff had been paid for when I tried paying. Then it hit me. Tim didn't have anything in his hands when we walked up. Sneaky little. . . .

I took the bag with my pizza and drinks and tried to catch up to him but he'd already boarded his bus. With a huff, I walked to our bus and boarded it. We had a mini fridge so I set one of my Peppers in it since I'd be drinking the other one with my lunch. I noticed I had a new text and, upon looking at my phone, discovered it was Eric letting me know that the caravan would be stopping sometime around 2am for a Wal-Mart run for toiletries and the like if we needed anything. When my sisters boarded the bus, I told them of our good fortune of hitting up Wal-Mart at the wee hours of the morning. 

Taimi said that Austin had paid for hers and Kirsi's lunch. I cocked an eyebrow and explained how Tim had sneakily paid for mine even though he hadn't gotten anything there. The busses began moving again. The three of us ate in silence as we stared out the windows. My thoughts turned to Tim. Why did he pay for my stuff? Why was he so concerned with why I'd abruptly left breakfast this morning? Why was I even thinking about this guy? My sigh was not lost on Taimi who was putting one of her sodas in the fridge. She gave me a small smile before walking back to her seat. 

I finished eating then went back to working on our project. Kirsi was watching TV and Taimi was reading a book. I had our project half-written and there was a lot left to do. For some reason, I was starting to feel a bit over whelmed. It wasn't like me at all and I couldn't explain it. I'd gotten lost in my work when I suddenly felt the busses slowing down again. Taimi said something about Applebee's so I quickly saved my progress then stood up to stretch. 

As we were waiting for the bus to be parked, Kirsi asked me how things were coming along. The driver opened the door to let us out so as we were exiting the bus, I confessed that I was getting stuck on some parts. We were talking about that as we casually strolled into the restaurant. The school was paying for all meals which I was incredibly thankful for! The three of us were going to sit by ourselves. We figured all the guys would want to have some time away from us. We were seated at a four-person squared table. I was looking at my menu so I didn't notice people walking up to us. When I heard a table being scooted, I looked up! 

There was Tim, Rob, and Austin moving the four-person squared table that was closest to us so we could sit together. Tim, again, sat himself down in front of me. He smiled at me and I instinctively smiled back. We gave our drink orders and Austin turned to us and asked how our lunch was. Rob furrowed his brows in confusion.

"Yes, let's talk about our lunch. **_Timothy_**." I stated, accentuating his first name

"Oh shit, did she just call him _'Timothy'_?" Chance stated as he moved over to our table

I guess his group thought he was going to get mad at me but he just smiled innocently at me. Kirsi laughed as I cocked my eyebrow at him.

"What did Tim do?" Rob asked

"My wallet hit the floor so as I was picking it, and the contents, up off the floor, he sneakily paid for my drinks and food." I said, staring at Tim who was just staring back at me

"Well that's Tim. A kind, generous soul." Rob smiled at us

"I didn't ask him to pay for my stuff. We can take care of ourselves." I retorted, still staring at Tim

"You're still welcome." Tim countered with a smirk

That man was going to be the death of me! I narrowed my eyes at him which seemed to make everyone laugh. It was hard to be angry when he was looking at me like that! Adam sat down in between me and Taimi laughing at what he'd just witnessed. Kirsi squealed in delight making the five guys look at her weirdly.

"Fried pickles! They actually have fried pickles now!" She squealed again

"Awesome!" I stated before licking my lips for effect. 

"So how's your project coming along?" Adam inquired, looking around at us girls

"Slow." I chuckled

"Slow? How come?" Austin stated as our waitress brought our drinks

"Getting stuck on some parts. I may take the rest of the night off and relax and see if that doesn't help." I shrugged, "Oh, we have a 2am Wal-Mart stop planned, according to Shinedown, so if y'all need stuff. . . "

"Oh ok. Thanks for letting us know." Chance replied

"I think they like stopping around that time since most stores will be pretty empty. Easier to shop in peace and stuff." I said

"Makes sense. I do need stuff but I'm not sure I'll be able to get up once I go to bed." Austin chuckled

"We have to because we need groceries." Taimi shrugged

"There's nothing to eat on your bus?" Chance questioned, cocking an eyebrow at us

"Nope. I guess we should have went to get stuff for us before we left but honestly we didn't think about it." I shrugged 

We got to talking about life on the road and they gave us tips and stuff they've learned through the years. These give guys were so easy to talk to and it really seemed like we were just hanging out with friends. We didn't have any movies or anything. I moved my right leg and accidentally brushed up against Tim's long leg. He quickly looked over at me making me blush and mumble "sorry" while avoiding his gaze. I swear he smiled before turning back to the conversation he was having. 

Dinner had gone too quickly. The guys were paying for their respective meals while Taimi was giving the restaurant the credit card we'd been given for food and stuff. I walked outside where it was a bit cooler and so I could stretch some. With nothing better to do, I headed over to where our bus was parked and climbed aboard. What were we going to do for the rest of the night? Play cards? That sounded like fun. I sat down at the kitchen table and made sure to save all my hard work before closing my laptop lid. 

When my sisters boarded, I asked if they wanted to play cards and was happy when they agreed. We opted to change into our pj's first so we were more comfortable as we sat around and played. We were all just sitting on the floor in the "front lounge" playing cards and being stupid. I guess we'd lost track of time because when we felt the busses slowing down, we all looked a bit startled! Kirsi was wearing a pair of black cotton lounge pants and a white t-shirt. That's what she usually slept in. Taimi was wearing a pair of black and red checkered lounge pants with a red tank top. I was wearing a pair of black cotton short shorts with a black tank top. 

We slipped into some flops as the busses came to a stop in the nearly deserted Wal-Mart parking lot. We grabbed our wallets and waited for our driver to open the door for us. Taimi thanked him as Kirsi and I exited the bus. We could see some of the guys of Shinedown leaving their bus as well. We walked silently to the entrance of the building but could hear, and couldn't help but smile at, the four of them being stupid. It was cute! From Barry flipping his hair like a girl to Eric's adorable laugh. 

I grabbed a cart and Taimi grabbed a cart. We needed toiletries, groceries, cleaning supplies, and lots of other stuff. As we were in the health and beauty section, Eric came strolling over. I turned around to see him staring at me. It made me blush, and I have no idea why, and a little uncomfortable. He was married after all! He smiled at me as he walked down the isle to pick up whatever it was that he needed. Kirsi was grabbing stuff for her and Taimi. I turned around and left the isle. 

Once we'd gotten all toiletries, we headed off for cleaning supplies. Taimi suggested we find some books we might like as well as movies and tv shows on DVD. Kirsi thought that was a great idea so we detoured to the electronics department. We were talking about the extras we wanted to put on the DVD to this project as we browsed movies. We picked up a few we knew we all liked before moving on to get cleaning supplies. The last, and biggest portion of our time and resources, would be the grocery section. Thankfully, we didn't need much in the way of cleaning supplies. 

Groceries was another issues. Space was limited in the minifridge and the freezer wasn't really big enough for jack squat. We wound up picking up some lunch meat and cheese, peanut butter, obviously bread, and lots of stuff to microwave. We had a microwave but not much else for cooking. Taimi asked if we should pick stuff up but Kirsi thought we should talk to some of the guys first. We picked up sodas, water, and Gatorade. We picked up snacks and some fruit to munch on. Our carts were decently full so we thought it was time to check out. We got money each week for food like this and toiletries but we hoped this wasn't going out of line. 

The card used went through without a problem so we wheeled our two carts carefully out to the awaiting bus. There were a group of four or five young guys, they had to a few years younger than us, that were just hanging out by their car as we walked by them. Naturally comments were made but we did our best to ignore them.

"Come on, sweet-cheeks." One stated as he reached out and grabbed my arm, "Where ya going?"

"Take your hands off me." I stated firmly

"Why should I?" He grinned at me

"Because if you don't, I'll start breaking fingers." I replied making his friends go 'ooh'

He let go so I started walking again. I should have known that things wouldn't go that smoothly. He walked up to me and smacked my ass making me squeal in surprise.

"Told ya she likes it." He laughed

I turned around quickly and slapped him as hard as I could muster across the face. 

"Touch me again, boy, and you'll regret it the rest of your life." I hissed

He didn't say a word as he back-handed me. I could feel my nose and lip start to bleed some. What could I do? I balled my fist and punched him like a man. Needless to say, the little punk-ass kid didn't take too kindly to that. He hit me again so I moved myself into fighter's stance. The dumb kid tried to mimic what I was doing but I'd learned enough over the years that I could easily take him. Taimi and Kirsi had actually turned back to check on me as he and I were fighting. In this little "scuffle", I did wind up breaking a few of his fingers. 

"Come on, bitch, you know you want a good time." He laughed

"If I wanted a good time, I wouldn't be looking at you for it." I countered making him angry and his friends laugh

"Fucking cock-teasing slut!" He said before he back-handed me once again

"You hit like a girl." I stated defiantly

"I'll show you how hard I fucking hit!" He yelled 

Before he could do anything, I punched him in the stomach then elbowed him in the face. He bent over trying to catch his breath since I'd knocked it out of him. While he was bent over, I proceeded to knee him in the face. He spewed blood from his mouth and nose so I stood back. One of his friends wasn't going to let some petite, busty chick beat his friends' ass so he jumped into the fight. I guess they figured I'd be spent by this point but that was far from the case. 

Kid #2 and I got into pretty damned good. I busted his lip and nose and I was sure he had blackened my left eye. Oh well. I've had much worse injuries! After a while, I'd had enough of this. I slipped one of my knives from the inside of my bra and told the pack of idiots if they didn't leave me alone I was going to start seriously hurting them. Most kids threw their hands up in the air in a defensive manner, so I turned around and began pushing my cart towards our bus again.

Half-way to the bus, we found Tim and Austin standing outside their bus just talking and laughing. I didn't look over at them as we got closer because I didn't want to see Tim's reaction to my bloody face. My night was not going well because as soon as they'd seen us with these two carts they walked over to help us load the bus.

"What the hell happened to you, sweetie?" Austin said as soon as he looked at me

"Nothing." I quickly retorted as I grabbed several bags from the cart

"Girl, your face is bloody and I think your lip is swollen. That's not nothing." He replied, catching Tim's attention who'd been talking to my sisters

"What?!" Tim exclaimed, "Why's your face bloody? What the hell happened?"

He grabbed my chin and moved my face so he could check out my "injuries". His concern was actually adorable but I was in no mood to be babied at the moment. I just wanted to get our bus loaded and go lay down. Quickly jerking my head out of his hands took Tim off guard. I boarded our bus and dropped the bags by the kitchen table. 

"Darlin' what happened? We're concerned." Tim softly said as he blocked me from exiting our bus

"Look, I just wanna get our bus loaded so I can go lay down. I'm tired." I replied, crossing my arms across my chest

"A group of young kids thought it was a good idea to make comments then get handsy so Lilja handled it. That's all." Kirsi explained, "Now can we get our bus loaded so we can get back on the road?"

"You sure are a spitfire!" Tim smiled at me before moving so I could grab more bags, "Do you need anything to doctor yourself with?"

"Damnit! That's what we forgot!" Taimi stated with a frown

"I'm sure we'll be making another Wal-Mart run before long. Let's just get this stuff onto the bus and worry about all that later." Kirsi said

"I'll talk to Luke tomorrow and see what he can arrange for ya." Tim said as he handed bags to Austin

We finished getting all our bags from the carts and onto the bus. I think all we were waiting on now was the rest of Shinedown to finish with their shopping. We were standing outside the bus while Austin and my sisters chatted. Tim and I just stood there silently. I could have sworn he was staring at me but that may have been my imagination. Yawns started happening which for some reason seemed to amuse Tim. When the rest of Shinedown came out with their stuff, Taimi said we should probably head back on the bus. Austin hugged us all and made us promise if we ever needed help to let them know. 

Tim hugged both my sisters and then turned his attention towards me. They boarded the bus as Austin walked back to theirs. He pulled me into a hug and held me a little longer than he did my sisters. He smelled so good, even at this time of night, and I realized that they were both wearing pj bottoms, slippers, and no shirt. How had I not noticed before? My bloody face was pressed into his chest. His bare chest. 

I pulled away from him and he cupped my right cheek in his hand. His thumb ran cautiously over my swollen bottom lip making me wince slightly. He advised me to ice it before I laid down and take some Tylenol. I smiled up at the much taller man and he was quick to smile back. He bid me a good night before dropping his hand and walking back to his bus. I watched him go then looked over to Shinedown's bus. Eric was looking at me curiously so I just waved at him with a smile before quickly boarding my bus.


	8. A jealous brat

I decided to take Tim's advice. A couple Tylenol's with some ice for my lip. Taimi made sure I was ok before she went to bed. I smiled at my sister and reassured them both that I was fine. Kirsi gave me a hug too before following Taimi to the bunk area. I sat down on the couch and stared out the window as I iced my poor lip. As I sat there, I began thinking about this project, these men that were virtual strangers, and how few friends my sisters and I actually had. 

We always stuck together and never really made friends. Kirsi, as friendly as she is, never really trusted people much. Taimi was a little more trusting than either me or Kirsi but not by much. As for me, I never believed that I deserved friendship or love. I've done things that most people wouldn't even think about doing. There was a good cause, of course. At least that's what I tell myself to make me feel like less of a monster. So how in the hell did these guys make us feel like we had friends? How did they make us feel like we were worth something?

At some point during the night, I began crying. My sisters were both fast asleep, I was virtually alone on the bus except for our driver. Some days I wondered how we even got to this point. We're going to be working with some big names. I'm pretty sure that all three are going to be showcasing this project on their websites. How had we not succumbed to alcohol or drugs? How had we even made it to college the first time? Why were we even alive?! As the sky began to lighten, I sighed. Thankfully we didn't have a show today so we'd still be traveling all day. I heard one of the other drivers come over their walkie talkies and say that we'd be stopping in an hour for breakfast. 

About twenty minutes before we were set to stop for breakfast, I went to wake my sisters up. Taimi grumbled about why I was waking her up until I mentioned breakfast. She slowly slid out of her bunk and padded her way to the bathroom. Kirsi was next and was much easier to wake up. As we walked to the front, she asked what I was doing up so early. I just shrugged before heading into the tiny bathroom to do my business and wash my face. The last thing I wanted was for the rest of the group to see my bloody face all dried and cakey.

I didn't bother getting dressed and neither did either of my sisters. We pulled into an IHOP and I was really thankful. I loved their omelets! We parked and I took a deep breath. Would Austin or Tim mention the fight last night? Would Eric say something about anything last night? Barry greeted us with smiles and hugs. Zach was still sleeping and Eric just stared at me before we walked into the restaurant. Apparently, there were some issues with Brent's ex-girlfriend that the band, Bill, and Jake needed to discuss so they sat by themselves again.

"Morning ladies! How was your first night on the bus?" Rob asked as he approached us

"Not bad. The rocking of the bus definitely helped lull me to sleep!" Kirsi laughed

"I need new bedding. Whatever they gave us is itchy and not comfortable." Taimi pouted, "But other than that I slept ok."

"Yeah if your bedding isn't good it can affect how well you sleep." Chance stated as he joined us while we waited for a table

The waitress asked Rob how many and before he could answer, Duane stated that there were twelve of us. I turned around and all four of the Oaks were standing there looking bright eyed and ready for the day. They each gave us hugs while a table big enough was put together for us. As I was pulling away from Richard, Tim and Austin walked up. I could see Tim looking at me, most likely checking out my injuries from last night, so I quickly looked away. Duane caught it and I knew that he'd be asking me about it later. 

We were finally settled and gave our morning drink orders. Most wanted coffee but me and my sisters ordered orange juice. I didn't even need to look at my menu because I already knew what I wanted. Once again, Tim was sitting across from me. How is it that's always how we wound up sitting?! After what felt like forever, everyone was ready to order. It took the poor waitress and good little bit to get everyone's order and make sure she had it right. The conversation wasn't really there this morning and I was fine with that. Until Austin spoke up.

"How's the lip this morning, Lilja?" 

"Huh? What's wrong with her lip?" Joe asked as every single person looked over at me

I wanted to kill Austin. Tim asked if I'd taken his advice. I was busy glaring at Austin who looked at me apologetically.

"Uh, I'm fine. Nothing's wrong." I stated

"Your bottom lip is swollen." Chance stated, cocking an eyebrow at me

I sighed heavily making Tim smile. Kirsi sighed too before telling the entire table what had transpired last night. Duane asked if I was really ok and expressed how wrong it was for what had happened. I reassured everyone that I was fine, there was no harm done, and not to worry about me. The Oaks all gave me a warm, friendly smile. Rob frowned and I'm not sure why. The rest of breakfast I remained quiet. Taimi got involved in a conversation about different video games while Kirsi got to talking with the Oaks about books. 

I ate my breakfast in silence. As a matter of fact, so did Tim and Austin. Every now and then I'd look up and find one or both looking at me. Somehow I depressed myself and sighed. Tim looked up at me with a bit of concern but I refused to look at him. When I was done with my breakfast, I excused myself. I headed to the bathroom to do my business then headed straight back to the bus. With a heavy sigh, I plopped down on the couch I'd occupied all night and stretched out. I was just staring at the ceiling when I heard voices. A few minutes later, footsteps could be heard boarding the bus and I figured it was just my sisters.

"Hey, we got guests today. Tim, Rob, Adam, and Austin are riding with us!" Kirsi stated

"Oh. Hey fellas." I said as I sat up to give people room to sit

"Sweetie, are you ok? Austin didn't make you angry at breakfast, did he?" Rob questioned, voice soft and full of genuine concern

"I'm fine, hun. I didn't like being thrown under the bus like that but no, I'm not angry at him." I replied with a smile

"So what actually happened last night?" Rob questioned

"Exactly as Kirsi said. Those punks ought to be glad I wasn't in the mood to break things." I retorted with a shrug

Tim was sitting, surprise, surprise, across from me with Adam sitting next to him. Rob was sitting to my left (I was sitting on the end of the couch next to the kitchen table) and Austin was on Rob's left. Both my sisters were sitting at the kitchen table. 

"I guess y'all get everything you needed last night?" Adam asked

"We need new bedding but for the most part I think we got everything." Taimi stated, "Oh! We need medical supplies."

"Why? You expecting more trouble?" Rob questioned, looking at me

"Always." I replied, looking down at my hands

My phone began ringing so I bolted up to get it. Upon seeing the caller ID, I sighed then debated on whether to answer it. 

"Yes Chuck?" I questioned

_"What are you doing?"_ He asked

"Sitting on our bus, bustling down the highway, talking to new friends." I replied with a huff

_"So I'm hearing that you're doing a love story? Which one are you fangirling about?"_

"Chuck, our project is none of your business. Is there something else you need?"

_"No need to be so hostile. I was just curious."_ He retorted

"No, you just wanna stick your nose where it doesn't belong! Unless there's something you actually need, I'm gonna hang up and get back to my guests."

_"Don't you mean get back to flirting?"_

"Are you jealous? Someone might have caught my attention. Does that just eat you up inside?"

_"Fuck you! You're not worth getting jealous over!"_ He countered

"Sis, can you come here for a second?!" I heard Taimi yell from the front lounge

Now I was fired up! I walked up to the front where everyone, including the four guys of Home Free, were still sitting at.

"Really? That's why any time I show even the slightest bit of interest in someone you act like a jealous brat?"

I heard snickers. Looking around, I locked eyes with Tim. That man was really going to get me into trouble one of these days.

"What time period were we going for?" Taimi asked at the same time Chuck said: _"Fuck you! There's nothing about you worth getting jealous over! You couldn't keep my attention and you couldn't keep me happy!"_

I quietly told Taimi mid-to-late 1800's before looking over at Tim who was still watching me with great interest.

"There's not? Really? Then why are you so interested in my sex life? And for the record, if you weren't sticking your d**k into some whore I might have been able to quote-keep you happy-unquote."

_"I feel bad for whoever you're screwing!"_ He spat back

"And why's that, Chuck? Because you're not involved?!"

_"You wish I was involved!"_ He countered

"Not even remotely close." I spat angrily

"Calm down, sis. We got guests." Kirsi stated, giving the four men an apologetic look

"It's ok." Austin smiled back

_"You're the one who's jealous."_ Chuck stated making me laugh

"Jealous? Of what? A whore who'll fuck anything that looks in her general direction twice? An idiot who hardly ever wanted to f**k his girlfriend with a libido that could rival Motley back in the day? The two of you are the last people on Earth I'd ever be jealous over. Goodbye Charles Ray."

"Oh shit. She used the full name! Sorry about that guys. Chuck..... doesn't seem to acknowledge that she broke up with him years ago. He annoys us all to no end." Taimi apologized for me

"What an idiot." Austin chuckled

"You have no idea, mate." I shrugged indifferently

Tim was still staring at me. 

"So, uh, we don't know much about y'all." Rob stated, trying to change the subject

"We were born, we grew up, we went to college, here we are." I stated

"Lilja!" Kirsi scolded

I huffed before getting up and heading to the back. As I left, I could hear both my sisters apologizing for my rudeness. I sighed heavily. What the hell is wrong with me?! Maybe I needed alcohol. Drown the sorrows and all that country song shit. Sighing again, I wanted to cry. My lip hurt, my nose hurt, my heart hurt, and my head hurt. Stretching out, it didn't take me long to fall asleep. With any luck when I wake up they'll all be back on their bus!

"Lilja? Lils, we've stopped for dinner." I heard Taimi state

"Huh?" I groggily stated as I sat up

"We've stopped for dinner. And I don't think you drove the Home Free guys away." She stated, "Yet."

I made my way up front and discovered both my sisters had gotten dressed. And all four guys were still on our bus. The busses were nearly parked so most people were getting ready to exit. I grabbed Taimi's arm and asked her to bring me something to eat. She cocked her eyebrow at me as I slipped my flops on. They all headed into the restaurant and I darted for the convenience store next door. They would surely have alcohol! 

Beer was not my thing but I could do liquor. A bottle of good whiskey, two bottles of Vodka, and a bottle of Tequila. That should be enough for now. Naturally I was carded but I didn't mind it at all. With my purchases, I headed straight back to the bus. Seeing Tim sitting at our kitchen table made me nearly drop my purchases. He smiled warmly at me when he saw me standing there.

"I brought you dinner. Taimi said this is what you'd want." He said, motioning to the bag sitting in front of him

He was already working on his dinner so I put my brown paper bags on the counter. 

"What's all that?" He asked, nodding toward the bags

"Bottle of Whiskey, bottle of Tequila and two bottles of Vodka." I replied

"Planning a party?" He chuckled

"Of sorts. More likely a party of one." I retorted

"Correction: party of two." He stated grinning at me

I looked up and met his eyes. They were full of mischief and I couldn't help but smile back at him. Knowing I needed food, I dug in the bag. Arby's mid roast beef and large curly fries. And there were plenty of packets of Arby's sauce. There was also a large Dr. Pepper sitting to my right. As I was "fixing" my sandwich, Tim inquired about Chuck. My annoyed sigh made him chuckle but there was no reason to not tell him all about what had transpired between us.


	9. A night of drinking for one. . . . for two?!

Tim seemed a tad angry at some of the stuff I told him about me and Chuck. Particularly that he had been cheating on me and then lied about it after we broke up. Hearing about my sex-drive seemed to intrigue the tall brunette but now wasn't the time to think about that! He told me about how he and his long-time girlfriend were just weeks away from their wedding nearly a year ago when she called everything off. She basically stranded him at the alter and talking about it seemed to still get to him. 

I reached across the table to squeeze his hand in an attempt to comfort him. Any woman dumb enough to leave this man wasn't smart enough, or good enough for that matter, to have him in the first place! My sour look made him smile and he said that he was getting over it. He had loved her deeply but didn't want to get stuck in the past dwelling on things he couldn't change. I made a mental note to track this Jenika down one day. He began telling me all about the other members of the band but talking about their happy home lives seemed to bring a rain cloud over his head.

He was lonely, I could see it, but he tried not to show it. Then I realized that I was still holding onto Tim's hand. I quickly jerked my hand back and blushed as he looked at me funny. Yes, alcohol was going to make all these weird feelings and weird thoughts go away. 

"Damnit." I suddenly stated

"What's wrong?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow at me

"No damned shot glasses." I huffed, "Guess we forgot more than bedding and medical supplies last night."

"I think we got some on our bus. I'll go bring two over." He smiled at me

"That would be appreciated." I smiled back

I said I'd clean up from dinner while he got the shot glasses for us. He grinned at me before sliding out of the "booth". Why was I liking this idea so much? Spending time alone with Tim drinking? My plan was just to get trashed all by my lonesome. Why didn't he just drop my food off and enjoy the evening with his friends? Especially with how rude I was earlier? Shaking my head, I quickly finished my dinner and got all the trash put up and the table wiped down. 

I grabbed all my alcohol and headed to the back lounge. It shocked me to discover we had a tv and DVD player back here. Tim hadn't arrived yet, and I was starting to think he might've just bailed on me, so I went to find a movie to watch while I drink myself into oblivion. Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if he bailed on me. As the movie was about ten or so minutes in and I was digging through the bags to figure out which one I wanted to start on first, I heard heavy footsteps. 

"Hey, there you are. I was thinking you might've crawled into your bunk to avoid me." Tim's low voice stated from the doorway

I snapped my head towards him to see that he had two shot glasses and two lowball glasses. He shut the door with his foot making sure we were alone and wouldn't be bothered.

"Which do you wanna start with? I've got Whiskey, Tequila, and Vodka." I stated

"How about Whiskey?" He quickly stated

I was determined to forget my own name this evening. I grabbed a shot glass and filled it up for me. He chuckled and slid the other shot glass to me. Once both were filled, we clicked the glasses together. Straight back and straight down it went. 

"I'm impressed." He chuckled watching me, "Most women can't shoot whiskey."

"I'm not like most women." I retorted

"No Ma'am you are not." He smiled as I refilled the shot glasses

Once again it was straight back and straight down. I shivered at the warmth of the alcohol and he smiled at me again. We just sat there drinking in silence not even paying attention to the movie. Tim and I sat there not talking and shooting Whiskey. The bus jerked forward signaling we were hitting the road again. I didn't know how long Tim would stay but at the moment I didn't really care. The movie ended a while ago but I never changed it.

The silence was nice. Being able to just drink myself into oblivion without talking about why I was drinking so heavily was really nice. Before I knew it, Tim and I completely polished off the Whiskey and got through about half a bottle of Tequila. I was numb by this point which is what I was aiming for. I'm not sure what happened the rest of the night. The next thing I remembered there was a bright light shining in my face. Cautiously opening my eyes, I discovered I was still in the back lounge and my head was moving up and down. 

Tim was leaning against the side of the couch and I was laying in between his legs with my head on his chest. His right hand was behind his head and his left was resting on my back. There were two bottles of water on the table as well as a bottle of Tylenol sitting there. The tv was off and it had to be around sunrise. Who had come back here? What did they see?

"Ugh." I heard a grunt from underneath me

I sat up rubbing my eyes. We were both fully dressed still so nothing inappropriate happened, at least I think. I grabbed the bottle of Tylenol and tipped two pills out. Tim's hand stuck out so I dropped the two pills into his hand before getting two for myself. I handed him one bottle of water so he could take the Tylenol in his hand. I popped the pills into my mouth then took a very big drink of my water. My head was pounding and my stomach making weird noises. The busses started slowing down so Tim peeked out the window.

"Looks like we're stopping at Denny's." He quietly stated, "Food would be good. Pancakes."

"Ok." I replied, matching his quiet tone, "Thanks for drinking with me last night."

"Seemed like you could use it." He chuckled

Did he notice the position we were in when we woke up? Did he care? Did he know before he fell asleep? The bus came to a stop so I stood up. I needed to get my shoes so I could get some food in my tummy. Tim was still fully dressed, including his boots, so he just followed me up front. Taimi was up but looked like she was barely awake. Tim and I silently exited the bus at the same time as Eric and Barry were leaving theirs. I caught the strange look Eric threw to me but decided to ignore it. Rob smiled warmly at us as we approached the restaurant.

Tim wanted coffee but me and my sisters wanted orange juice. Pancakes with no butter, hash browns, and fruit is what I decided on going with this morning. Tim ordered virtually the same thing except he wanted bacon instead of the fruit. I could see Eric watching us carefully. It was kind of odd in my opinion but I wasn't going to say anything. I looked over at Taimi and she smiled at me. Clearly, she's the one who left us the water and Tylenol. I nodded at my sister in a silent 'thanks' and she smiled again.

"How was your evening?" Austin asked

"Quiet." I retorted with a half-grin

"I will say: this girl could probably out drink any of us." Tim added in with a chuckle

"We were wondering where you were until Taimi sent a text to Luke that you were on their bus drinking with Lilja." Chance replied

"Yeah, sorry for not letting y'all know." Tim stated with a shrug

"It's cool, man. If I'd known y'all would be drinking, I'd have joined ya!" Austin laughed

"I think she intended to drink by herself but I stayed on their bus with her food since she hadn't made it back yet. I didn't really give her a choice in the matter." Tim replied

"Nothing like a night of drinking until you forget why you're drinking to cleanse the soul." Austin chuckled making me smile

I needed to get back to working on our project. If this headache will go away I'll get on it. The guys chatted about doing a new music video soon and Taimi got to chatting with them about the company they usually went with to do that. Kirsi was chatting with Luke and Bill about something. Tim and I remained quiet, mostly because we were both nursing hang-overs, and just waited on our breakfast. 

Our food was finally brought so Tim and I reached for the syrup at the same time. We simultaneously said 'sorry' and I know I was blushing. Don't even ask me why, either, because I have no idea. He let me have it first so I quickly poured syrup over my pancakes and handed him the bottle. Rob just watched the exchange with a knowing smile. I don't think pancakes ever tasted quite so good! Thankfully it seems that food was indeed helping with the headache. Rob asked what our plans were for the day.

Taimi said she had some research to do, Kirsi said she had to plan out costumes and figure out shooting locations. I quietly stated that I needed to get back to finishing up the story so we could start filming. Luke said not to rush it and let it flow. I smiled at the slightly older gentleman. The talk was light and funny and why I was in such a foul mood yesterday slipped my mind. Before I knew it, it was time to get back on the road. Joe and Duane walked us to our bus as they asked us how our project was coming along. They both seemed pleased that things were coming along pretty well. They both hugged us before we boarded. 

Once we were bustling down the highway again, and I was back at the kitchen table behind my laptop, my sisters both turned their attention to me. 

"So what was that last night?" Kirsi asked, smirking at me 

"What do you mean?" I innocently stated

"Come on, sis. You didn't plan that?" Taimi inquired

"Plan what?" I asked, cocking my eyebrow at the pair, "What I planned was drinking myself into oblivion by myself. When I got back from the convenience store next to the Arby's, I found Tim sitting at the kitchen table with a bag in front of him."

"Oh really. What about the back?" Taimi retorted

"We drank an entire bottle of whiskey and half a bottle of Tequila. I didn't want to be bothered and I guess he knew that. He's the one who shut the door so we could drink in peace." I answered

"What did y'all talk about while you were drinking?" Kirsi questioned

"Nothing." I said

"Nothing? Really? You can tell us!" Taimi goaded

"Literally nothing. We started drinking and just remained quiet." I retorted furrowing my brows

"Well a few hours after we hit the road, we could both hear the two of you back there laughing like maniacs. We wanted to check on you but thought better of it. That's how we knew Tim was even on our bus." Kirsi explained

"Well that must've been after we finished off the Whiskey then because I have absolutely no recollection of all that mess." I shrugged

"When things got quiet again, I went back there to check on you. You were both asleep so I shut the tv off, brought some water and the bottle of Tylenol figuring you would need it." Taimi told me

"How....uh....how were we sleeping when you went back there?" I cautiously asked

"I took a picture. Here, I'll send it to you." Taimi said with a smile

"I think you two look really cute together." Kirsi said making me look over at her sharply

My phone dinged signaling a new text. It was the picture my sister promised me. Tim was leaning against the arm of the couch with his head leaning on the back of the couch. One leg cocked and leaning on the back of the couch while the other foot was resting on the floor. He had both arms wrapped around me protectively. I was laying on my side in between his legs with my head on his chest. My left arm seemed to be wedged between him and the couch while my right hand was resting on his hip. We looked...well... I'm not even sure how to describe it! My phone dinged with a new text and I wondered who it could be.

_"Hey, uh, this is Tim. Are your sisters bugging you about what happened last night?"_

"Yeah. I told them the truth, what I remembered anyways. You?"

_"Oh yeah, the guys are giving me hell. I expected it, honestly, but I'm not really in the mood for their good natured teasing. Head still hurts :( "_

"Sorry. About everything. I was trying to get some work done but then they started asking questions :/ "

_"You've got nothing to be sorry for. I guess I'll let you get back to your school work. I'm gonna go lay down and try to watch a movie. Ttyl"_

I could only smile at him. He was such a sweetheart. How on Earth could anyone just walk away from him? I am really gonna have to look this tart up and see what I can find out about her. I was going to let Tim watch his movie but I guess he wanted to chat because my phone dinged again.

_"Hey sweetie! How are you? You were looking a bit rough this morning -e-"_

I cocked my eyebrow at my phone.

"Yeah Tim and I polished off a whole bottle of Whiskey and ½ a bottle of Tequila by ourselves last night #Goodtimes lol"

_"Oh."_

What the hell was this? Then I had an idea. We weren't getting to the next venue until tomorrow. Why don't we have a little get together this evening?

"My intentions were to drink by myself last night but he brought my dinner to me as I was coming back with 4 bottles of alcohol. I was thinking of throwing a little get together this evening though."

_"Well if you don't mind us old guys, we'd love to come to your party!"_

"I'm not sure the Oaks wanna come since there'll be alcohol but SD are more than welcome :D :P"

"hahahahaha!"

_"Barry wants to know what time?"_

"Probably after dinner. I gotta get more alcohol though :/"

I got my sisters caught up on our party plans making them both laugh. I wanted to text Tim but I thought I'd talk to him in person. Unless one of my sisters were already texting the HF guys. I got a text from Tim.

_"Were you gonna tell me about this party of yours? :("_

"Of course I was! I thought you were watching a movie so I didn't wanna bother you. Besides, this came about literally five minutes ago. Plans are still being finalized."

_"Ah. We are invited, aren't we?"_ Tim questioned

Why did he seem so insecure all of a sudden? Was it just dealing with a hang-over still?

"Absolutely! I couldn't leave you guys out! Will you be up for it, though?"

_"We'll probably be stopping somewhere like Applebee's or similar so we can get a good meal in us before an evening of drinking :D -e-"_

_"Darlin', I'm a Texas boy. Of course I'll be up for it! ;) "_

Was Tim getting flirty with me? Why did I like that idea so damned much?

"Sounds good. Probably why I'm not nauseated this morning. We ate before we started drinking last night :D" I told Eric

"I keep forgetting you're not a Yankee. Texans always endure :P" I told Tim

Why did it seem like I was getting flirty? I sighed hoping he wouldn't get mad at me

_"lol! You're funny!"_ Tim replied

"Let us finalize plans and I'll let you know asap." I told the tall brunette Texan

_"Yeah, that always helps. I'm not sure Brent is gonna come but the rest of us are. -e-"_

_"I'll see ya at a pit stop then :P"_ Tim replied

How did he make my insides all fluttery? Taimi was texting Austin and giggling like mad. Kirsi was doing what she said she was gonna be doing while I tried writing more. After an hour or two of failed attempts at writing, my head finally "got in the game" so to speak and I was able to start writing again. Things were coming along quite well, thankfully, again and I began to relax some. Kirsi said that the costuming wouldn't be an issue but locations might get tricky. Oh well, we always tackle challenges head on!


	10. Inside jokes

A few hours later and we did stop at a truck stop. It was a good time to get off the bus, stretch, and hopefully talk to Tim. As I stepped off the bus, I looked over and saw Eric walking towards me. I smiled warmly at the tall (ok tall-ish compared to the fellas in Home Free) man as he approached. 

"What happened to your lip? You sure you're ok?" Eric asked, concern written over his face

I laughed softly as he walked with me into the building, "Yeah I'm fine. Got into a little scuffle when we stopped at Wal-Mart. That's all."

"Oh, ok. We're all looking forward to hanging out on your bus tonight." He told me

"Cool! We're looking forward to hanging out with everyone too." I smiled at him

"Hey sis. Looking for anything in particular?" Taimi said as she came up to me

"Was thinking of maybe getting snacks that we don't already have. I'm craving beef jerky for some reason." I chuckled

"Oh man! Mrs. Cranston made the beeeeeeeest beef jerky!" Taimi drawled out

"Definitely." I chuckled, "You getting anything?"

"Was thinking maybe something sweet. I'm wanting chocolate. Maybe some peanut m&m's." Taimi replied, "When's the next Wal-Mart run?" 

"Oh hey! Thanks for reminding me! Luke said he can take y'all shortly after we get to the next venue." Austin said as he came up to us

"Sweet! I'll make sure to get a list going of things we need and that we forgot last time." Taimi stated, smiling up at Austin

"What time's the party tonight?" Austin asked

"We figured it would be best after dinner. Get food in us and y'all can just hop on our bus afterwards." I replied

Austin and Eric nodded, "Makes sense."

"Oh! I need to acquire a little more alcohol. Of the four bottles I bought yesterday only 2 ½ remain." I stated with a half-hearted shrug

Suddenly there was an arm draped casually over my shoulder, "I'll help pay for it since I drank my fair share last night."

"Fair enough." I smiled at the bass-man

"What do y'all prefer drinking?" Taimi questioned as our little group walked around

"I have no real preferences. Barry's the beer connoisseur. Zach will drink pretty much anything that's alcoholic." Eric replied, eyeing Tim suspiciously

"Beer's always good. Vodka, too." Austin added

"I've got two bottles of Vodka left and ½ a bottle of Tequila. We finished off the Whiskey." I laughed

"You got good taste, too." Tim replied with a smirk

"Well what do you expect from someone who's not like most women?" I countered with my own grin

"So outside of private jokes......" Austin said, bringing Tim and I out of whatever it was we found ourselves in

"Yeah, so at some point we're gonna have to get some alcohol." Taimi stated

"Let me see what Luke can do." Tim said as we all made our way to the counter to pay for our stuff

Eric paid for my stuff, which I found odd, so I thanked him. He grinned down at me and said it was no problem. He pulled me into a hug, which I returned, but I suddenly had feelings I wasn't used to. It felt like I was cheating. It felt like I was hurting someone else and it was something I didn't like feeling. Looking over at Tim, I could see he wasn't liking me and Eric hugging very much. I took my bag and quickly walked to our bus. Once aboard, I threw my bag on my bunk and headed to the back "lounge". 

The lounge where Tim and I had spent hours drinking in silence. Where Tim and I had wound up falling asleep together. Where Tim and I had subconsciously cuddled all night. I was single. I wasn't attached to anyone. So why did hugging Eric make me feel like I was cheating or in the wrong? I didn't understand it. We quickly got back on the road so I leaned against the back of the couch trying to make sense of the raging feelings swirling around in my head. I skipped lunch because I really didn't want to see anyone. Instead, I made a sandwich and headed back to the back lounge. The hint of Tim's cologne could still be faintly smelled back here. 

"Hey sis, we'll be stopping for dinner in about an hour." I heard Taimi tell me

I mumbled something like 'ok' back making her chuckle at me. My head was swimming and I didn't know what to do about it. Kirsi shook me awake saying we'd stopped at an El Fenix for dinner. She smiled at me as I sat up rubbing my eyes. Mexican food was my favorite! Following my sisters off the bus, I tried to stretch a little. Luke came over and asked what we needed for our party tonight. He, Taimi, and I discussed it and he finally had a list. He promised he'd have everything on our bus before we rolled on. I thanked him for his help as we walked into the restaurant. 

Eric and Barry smiled at us as we entered and we smiled back. It felt weird to me but I had nothing to really say about the things that were going on. They were probably just in my head, right? The Oaks were sitting with Jim and Bill and laughing. Luke said he was going to join them as Rob was waving at us three like he wanted us sitting with them. Taimi tugged on my arm so I just followed them. For once I wasn't sitting across from Tim. This time I was sitting on his right. 

I was looking through the menu trying to decide what I wanted. Taimi was talking about the fajitas and that actually sounded really good. She and I were discussing it when Austin said he'd happily get a double order of Fajitas so they could split it. She blushed and I cocked my eyebrow at the tall, thin man. I think even a member or two (or four) of his band were looking at him with a slightly questioningly look. She sheepishly agreed. I sighed hoping my sister and I could share. 

_"We could split an order too. Make your sister feel less awkward about Austin's round-about way of hitting on her."_ Tim whispered in my ear

I'm sure my eyes widened in shock and slight disbelief making him chuckle at me.

"Uh, yeah, sure. Sounds great." I finally sputtered out

He smiled at me, eyes shining with mischief, before looking away to re-join the conversation he was in. The waitress came by and started taking everyone's orders. Tim ordered for us, asking for beef and chicken, and I added in a bowl of Pico. He also asked for extra cheese. It was Taimi's turn to look at me funny. All I could do was shrug my shoulders at her making Kirsi snicker. The conversation was light as we sat around. Every now and then I felt eyes on me so I'd look around but never saw anything. 

The guys had us laughing. Pretty loudly, might I add, which earned us some disapproving looks from some of the other patrons. Taimi excused herself to use the restroom. She gave me a quick look before she left and I knew she was up to something. Kirsi and Adam were talking about video games which made me smile. It seems she's found a buddy to play with! A few minutes later, my sister returned to our table and looked mighty pleased with herself. Thankfully, our food arrived shortly thereafter.

Everything smelled so good! These guys were always so happy and laughing. It was infectious, really. My bowl of pico was set in front of me making me bounce in my seat happily. Tim's chuckles made me grin. The waitress set down the extra cheese and tortillas for us before bringing everyone else whatever extras they wanted. I looked up at Taimi and she and Austin seemed a bit....close. Shaking my head slightly, I started working on my dinner. 

"You know, we've told you a lot about us but we really don't know a lot about you ladies." Chance stated making me look over to my sisters

"That's not a conversation we want to get into right now." Taimi quickly stated

"How come?" Adam asked curiously

"We just don't, ok?" Kirsi replied, trying to keep her voice calm but we all heard the crack in it

"You're not a serial killer, are you?" Austin asked me with a smile

He was trying to be funny but I don't think it really worked.

"Well, I did beat Kirsi's husband to death a few years back." I said, looking him dead in the eyes

The whole table got quiet. I could feel the tension so I decided now was a good time to head back to the bus. Without saying a word, and with them all still staring at me, I stood up and began walking out of the restaurant. I heard someone calling my name but I ignored it as I started walking a bit faster. My alcohol was still in the back lounge so that's where I headed. Might as well finish off the ½ bottle of Tequila. 

"Hey Lilja?" I heard.....Luke?!

"What do you want?" I retorted before taking a swig of Tequila

"I want to talk to you." He said as he sat down next to me, "The Oaks were given a file that Jake and Don put together on you ladies. They let me read it too. The boys don't know anything about you but we do. I think Bill read it too."

"Oh great." I sarcastically replied

"I'm telling you this for a reason. None of us are judging you. Home Free are just curious about you ladies. They literally knew nothing about you except about your college and that you're triplets." Luke told me

"And that's what makes it worse." I said before I could stop myself

"What does that mean?" 

"Once they find out what a monster I am, they're not gonna want to talk to us. They'll distance themselves like everyone else." I shouted angrily, hot tears threatening to fall

"Sweetie, we haven't pulled away from you, have we?" I heard Duane calmly say

I looked up at him and he smiled warmly at me, "No."

"Then have faith that they'll be more understanding than you think." He told me

"Why haven't you . . . . " I started out

"Because you were only doing what you thought was best to protect yourself and your sisters. You're not a mean person or an evil person. On the contrary. You love your sisters so much that you put yourself in harm's way to keep them safe." Duane replied

"I think the guys will handle it well, ok?" Luke stated, "You should go back inside because your dinner is probably getting cold. If Tim hasn't eaten it all yet."

I was still sniffling as the three of us walked back into the restaurant. Duane had his arm around my shoulders in a comforting manner making all the Shinedown camp look at us funny. Not that they thought something naughty was going on but more like they knew some deep emotional shit had gone down. 

"Hey sweetie! Somehow we kept Tim from eating your dinner." Rob stated when he saw me and Luke approach the table

"It was hard, too!" Austin added in as I sat down

I gave a shy smile to them both. Taimi was looking at me so I just shrugged. I felt Tim give my knee a squeeze under the table and it brought a small smile to my face. Adam began "making noises" which was confusing the staff. It was really funny, to be honest, and I couldn't help but laugh at it. Most of my table were laughing at the scene, too, which was nice. I was trying to eat my dinner but they had me laughing so hard it made it difficult. 

"Guys, settle down. The poor girl can't eat if she's laughing so hard she can't breathe." Luke stated with a smile

"Yeah, I definitely need food in my stomach if I'm gonna be out-drinking y'all tonight." I giggled

When the hell did I start giggling like a teenager? Tim grinned at me as if to silently say 'challenge accepted' while Austin just laughed. They still had us laughing but I was able to finish my dinner. Luke said he was gonna go pick up the provisions and would have them all on our bus by the time we were ready to leave. I thanked him for all his help and he smiled warmly at me. Maybe twenty minutes later and everyone was up and paying out. 

Taimi asked me if I were ok and I said we'd talk about it later. Right now there was alcohol with my name on it! She told me how concerned the guys were for me when I left and that her and Kirsi had to reassure them I was fine. She even made mention how Tim kept looking at the door in hopes that I'd return. Wasn't that sweet of him? The Shinedown fellas were going to be riding with us since we'd invited them to this little party and for some reason that made me a bit nervous. 

Bill walked over and pulled me into a hug. "If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here" he whispered in my ear. I smiled up at him as we hugged. Barry and Zach were walking over to us laughing about something. The Home Free fellas were already standing around with Kirsi and Taimi. Eric was the last to arrive, apparently. I had boarded the bus to try and get things ready. Not that there was much to do. Luke had bought us some solo cups to use which I was incredibly grateful for! There was also a cooler that had beer on ice in it. Luke had really thought of everything!


	11. Party Bus!

Taimi walked in with Austin hot on her heels. They were laughing at something as everyone else started filtering onto the bus. It was a bit crowded with twelve people! Barry wanted a beer so that's what I threw him. He caught it mid-air making me grin at him. Kirsi helped pour shots as people found seats. I headed to the back lounge. Mine and Tim's shot glasses from last night were still there.

"Is this where the real party's happening?" Barry asked from the door way

"Nah. This is where Tim and I were drinking last night." I chuckled, "Our shot glasses were still back here so I thought I'd grab 'em."

"You said something about out-drinking us?" Tim's deep voice stated

"Damn straight." I laughed as Barry found a seat back here

Adam came back to where I was pouring shots for us three. I had to laugh when he thrust out his solo cup. We clinked our glasses together and did the first shot of the night. Loud laughter could be heard from the front of the bus and it made me smile. No schoolwork, no worrying about what they were gonna think of us and me, just hanging out with friends getting trashed. 

We were all having a good time drinking and being stupid. The Home Free fellas were some of the funniest people I've ever met and they even had Shinedown laughing hysterically. At one point, I had to pee to so I excused myself to walk to the bathroom. Austin and Taimi seemed to be getting quite close. They were sitting on the couch really close to one another and he had his right arm on the back of the couch behind her. She was laughing hard at something Zach had said making me smile. 

I went to do my business and nearly knocked into Chance on my way out. Giggling, I apologized making him laugh too. We hugged in apology before he took his turn in the bathroom. Before heading back to the back lounge, I grabbed the bottle of Whiskey that Luke had bought. Tim looked up when I entered the back lounge again and had the Whiskey with me. Adam and Barry just looked at me as I opened it. I poured us all a shot, not spilling nearly as much as I thought I would, and raised my shot glass. We clinked then downed our Whiskey. Barry was primarily drinking beer but he did shots whenever we handed him one. 

"Oh my God, sis!" Kirsi laughed as she came in, "You gotta hear this story Austin told us about a show they did where they were picketed by Westboro Baptist Church!"

"Oh man, this is gonna be good!" Barry laughed

"Timmy kissed a dude!" Austin said as he came back

"Awww, I didn't think you swung that way!" I laughed, "Too bad for me, I guess!"

"Wait a minute! I only kissed Chris to piss off those dumb protestors! I am a man who loves the ladies!" Tim said, defending himself

"Was it at least a good kiss?" Barry laughed

"Chris said it was!" Austin laughed

I'm not sure if Tim was getting angry or what. With a smirk, I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. He grinned like he'd won the lottery which made me laugh all the harder. Kirsi wanted to sit down so she wiggled in between me and Barry. Austin found a seat as well while I poured another shot for people.

"To new friends!" Austin said

"To new friends!" We all stated with smiles

More shots were poured. Zach came back and said that Rob was already out and snoring. We all laughed. Austin said that Rob didn't drink like he used to before he got married and started a family. I looked over at Kirsi and a flash of sadness crossed over her face. Another shot was poured. Somehow, we got to talking about some of our other projects. Kirsi blurted out that we've done a couple music videos which intrigued everyone. I was tasked with getting my laptop and the flash drive that had them on it.

Did my sister understand that I was drunk? Trying to do anything that needed coordination or concentration was pretty damn hard! I'm not entirely sure how but I made it back to the back lounge with my laptop under my arm. We hit a bump and I nearly fell face-first into Tim's lap. We all laughed because it was funny. Zach helped me get my laptop hooked up to the tv while I delved into the flash drive to find one of the music videos.

"Ooookay. So, we had to take a song that had already been released and that had a music video for it and put our spin on it." I said, slightly slurring my speech 

"Bad description, sis." Kirsi said with a giggle

"Yeah....well you trying giving a description when you're drunk!" I said before sticking my tongue out at her

Zach said he had finished hooking up my laptop to the tv so I pressed play. I don't even remember which one I chose to show them but all the guys seemed enthralled at what was playing. I was pouring myself another shot when Tim stuck his shot glass out for me to fill. Grinning at him, I filled his glass to. We clinked them together before downing our shots. There was a little liquid dripping down my chin so he took it upon himself to use his thumb to wipe it up for me. Wasn't alcohol supposed to suppress feelings and stuff? Then why was I having feelings flooding in right now?

"That was super!" Austin said, slurring his speech slightly

"More shots!" I stated, "And beer for Barry!"

Everyone laughed as I poured shots and Kirsi got another video playing. Someone handed Barry another beer. Glasses got clinked. At some point, we all headed up front and someone got music playing on their phone. People began dancing which was really, really funny since we were all pretty damned drunk by this point. Shinedown were playing tomorrow night so this was going to be very interesting. An hour or two of drunk dancing on a very cramped bus, and people began settling down. Austin and Taimi were sitting really close together chatting quietly. I made my way to the back lounge again. My Whiskey was still there so I poured me a shot and downed it quickly. 

"Hey, there you are. Want some company?" Eric stated

"Hey mate. Sure." I replied, pouring another shot for myself

"How's your project coming?" He inquired

"Good. Got stuck on some parts the other day but I think I've got things flowing again." I replied

"That's good! We're all looking forward to this. Seems really interesting." He told me

"Yeah. I hope it comes out the way I see it in my head." I giggled

I'm not sure where Tim was at. Not that chatting with Eric was a bad thing. He was funny too. We must've been back there for over an hour chatting away when Barry stumbled back. He said that the busses were stopping for fuel and that Jake wanted them back on their bus. I walked with them back up front. Everyone in Shinedown were hugging us goodbye. I decided I wanted to go inside the store which was quite entertaining seeing as how drunk I was.

Kirsi and I bought some beef jerky and were stumbling back to our bus. The Home Free fellas were standing outside, most likely getting ready to head back to their own bus for the night. It was about 3am and we still had a long way to go to get to the venue. Some guy who was filling his car up started talking trash and making all sorts of inappropriate comments. I flipped him off as Kirsi and I kept walking. He didn't like it very much and ran up and grabbed me by the waist. Needless to say, I sobered up damn quick. We got into quite the scuffle there in the gas station lot.

I thought I'd won so I began to back off. The guy's nose was still bleeding and I could already see a black eye forming. Kirsi was urging me to get on the bus before we were left behind. Right before I went to turn around, he whipped out a knife and, in one swift motion, stabbed me in the chest between my heart and shoulder (between the shoulder and chest if that makes sense). It happened so fast I wasn't sure my drunk self wasn't imagining it. Kirsi grabbed my hand and drug me onto our bus. Taimi was laughing at a text when we boarded. She quickly sobered up when she saw me.

Kirsi said she was gonna head back into the store to try and get some medical supplies. I was hoping she wasn't gonna miss the bus! The Oaks' bus had already began pulling out when she returned. She had a bag full of stuff and told me to take my shirt off. Things were very serious with this injury but getting hurt like this always upset my sisters. As Kirsi was cleaning my wound and trying to get the bleeding to stop so she could see about bandaging it up, I turned to them.

"Whatever happens, don't tell anyone about this. Not the Oaks, not Shinedown, and certainly not Home Free. The last thing we need is all of them worrying about me." I stated firmly

"Of course." Taimi said with a shaky voice

"You know we'll do whatever we can to help you, sis." Kirsi added, "It's gonna be rough on you trying to act like you're not injured."

"I'll make it." I said as I squeezed my eyes closed in pain, "I can stay on the bus working on our project. Not a hard stretch."

"You're better at this than we are. We'll help however we can." Taimi stated

"The alcohol isn't helping your system right now. We'll pick up better medical supplies tomorrow. I think I've got the bleeding to stop. At least for now. Try to get some rest." Kirsi stated as she finished doctoring me

"You might wanna change clothes too. You've got blood everywhere." Taimi exclaimed, "We'll clean up out here. You go lay down."

I thanked my sisters as I sat up. The world started spinning and my sisters had to catch me before I fell. They helped me to my bunk. I told them I could redress myself and thanked them again for their help. This was definitely not the first time I'd gotten hurt and it probably wouldn't be the last. I really didn't want any of the guys to find out about this. If they knew, they probably wouldn't be able to focus on the shows and stuff. Besides, I didn't want them mothering or babying me about this.

Once I'd changed out of my bloody clothes, I cautiously crawled into my bunk. My phone was sitting on my bunk and I don't remember putting it there. I opened it up and discovered the camera was on. Someone had used my phone to take pictures? I opened up the gallery and there were a whole lot of new pictures. Slowly, I began scrolling through them. Most made me laugh. These were memories I would treasure forever! Some pictures were of us trying to drunk-dance in a cramped bus. Some were of people laughing. 

There were some of the small group in the back doing shots. One caught my eye. It was of me and Tim sitting a lot closer than I thought we were and he had his arm on the couch behind me. I was smiling at something someone had said and he was smiling at me. There was another one where Rob, Zach, Adam, and Eric were making goofy faces. It was cute, really. There was a picture of Tim and I clinking our glasses together before doing a shot of Whiskey. The photos of Tim always brought a smile to my face.

A twang of guilt hit me suddenly and I wasn't sure why. Not telling the guys about this incident was for their own good. I didn't want them being distracted because of me. Their fans needed them at their best and it would be selfish to take that away. The rocking of the bus coupled with my alcohol intake and the fight I'd gotten into was finally catching up to me. When I awoke, the bus was parked. My bandage had leaked which meant the bleeding hadn't stopped yet. 

I sent a text to Kirsi telling her I was awake and that the bandage had leaked through. Not knowing if there were people on the bus or not, I opted to stay hidden in my bunk. My curtain moved and Kirsi's smiling face was there. She assured me everyone was still on their busses and that she'd already been taken to the store by Luke. New bedding for us all, shot and lowball glasses, and lots of medical supplies. She asked me to the back so she could doctor me again. I thought it would be best to put my shirt from last night back on since it was already ruined.

My sister was a champ at doctoring up wounds on me. Looking at the stab wound, she didn't think it was getting infected but we'd have to keep a close eye on it. This was my life. Kirsi would clean and re-dress my wound, I pulled away from everyone and stayed on the bus unless I absolutely needed to get off. Everyone always asked how I was, why I wasn't as present as my sisters, and if everything was ok. Every time I said that everything was great and that I was just caught up working on our project. That wasn't really a lie but I wasn't working as much as I implied I was.


	12. WHY DO YOU CARE?!

It had been about a week and a half since my stabbing and things seemed to be ok. Kirsi convinced me to have dinner off the bus. She said I was starting to run a fever and perhaps getting off the bus and some decent food in me might help. The pain was subsiding but it was definitely still there. Duane and Richard caught us as we were walking in to the Cracker Barrell. 

They both gave me hugs and it took everything in me to not scream out in pain. We chatted about this project while we waited for everyone else to make their way off the busses. Rob was the first of the Home Free fellas to see me and he just about crushed me in a hug. I loved these guys dearly but the tight hug brought tears to my eyes.

"Sweetie, are you ok? You look like you're about ready to pass out!" Joe stated, voice full of concern

"Hmm?" I said, swallowing the lump in my throat, "I've been so wrapped up in this project that I haven't been sleeping much. Must be getting to me finally."

I really hoped they couldn't see through the lie. Rob hugged me again before I was pulled into a hug from Joe. 

"We've been missing you. Might be good to take a night off and just relax." Austin stated with a smile

"Yeah. I may call it an early night tonight. Crawl into my bunk after dinner and watch a movie or two." I fake-smiled at the group

We were ushered to a large table in the back. Tim situated himself in front of me while Joe was on my immediately left, Adam on my immediate right, Kirsi in front of Joe, and Taimi in front of Adam. I hadn't really been eating much lately but that always happens when I'm injured or sick. Protein was good right now so I ordered some good 'ol chicken & dumplings and sweet tea. 

Conversation was light and they easily got me laughing. William Lee led the table in grace as usual. Rob was showing everyone pictures his wife Kelsey sent him of their little girl. Clearly, he was a very proud dad! It made me smile seeing his beautiful family. William Lee asked about the painting I wanted him to have "half finished" for our project so we talked about that. Before I knew it, dinner had arrived. I only ate about half of it. I really didn't eat much when I was sick or injured. Feeling sleepy again, I finally excused myself to head back to the busses. 

I had slipped back into my pj's and was digging through our limited movie selection when I heard a ruckus outside the bus. I was in no condition to be breaking up fights so I remained on the bus. As I was grabbing a bottle of Gatorade, I heard heavy footsteps.

"Where you going to fucking tell me? Tell us?" Tim demanded angrily

"Huh? What the hell are you going on about?" I asked, cocking my eyebrow at him

"That you've been stabbed?!" He exclaimed, voice rising in anger

He was really mad. It made me sad and sort of took me aback all at the same time. Why was he so angry about this? We were virtual strangers.

"Well?" He demanded

"Who told you I'd been stabbed?" I inquired, casually opening my Gatorade

I could hear others boarding the bus.

"Kirsi did when Joe asked why you were suddenly so distant from us. It took a few minutes before Duane finally asked her to tell us the whole truth." Tim explained, crossing his arms across his chest

I looked around him to find all the Home Free guys and both my sisters on the bus. Glaring at Kirsi, she just looked away.

"Yeah what of it? Not the first time I've been injured. Won't be the last." I defiantly stated 

"What the hell?" Tim angrily said, "Why didn't you tell us? Don't you trust us?"

"You think this is about trust?" I retorted, cocking my eyebrow at him

"Everything ok? We could hear the shouting from practically the door to the restaurant." I barely heard Joe say

"Yeah. You don't trust us to help? You don't trust us to..." Tim said

"I'm.... She's really angry that I told y'all when she made me promise I wouldn't." Kirsi replied

"This ain't about trust, boy. As I said, not my first injury, won't be my last." I said as I started getting angry, "Now leave me alone so I can go lay down."

When the hell did it get so hot on this bus? It shouldn't be this warm. Maybe it's just because Tim and I are fighting. Or maybe it's just because Tim is hot and it's finally getting to me. Yeah, that has to be it! 

"What happened?" He demanded

I turned to head to the bunk area but he had other plans. He grabbed ahold of my arm and turned me back around. My eyes went wide. Not many people had the balls to talk to me like this. I had to admit, it was actually kinda hot. He was showing himself to not be like "all the others". 

"Don't walk away when I'm talking to you. I asked you a question!" He was getting aggressive which didn't seem like him at all

"Is that aggressiveness normal?" Taimi quietly asked

"Not at all." Austin stated, "She's really gotten to him."

"Why do you care? Huh? We're practically strangers, for fuck's sake. Once this project is over with, we'll part ways and you'll never see me again. So what does it matter if I've been stabbed." I huffed angrily as I poked him in the chest over and over 

"We're friends, that's why I care." He said, "Besides, the person who stabbed you should be held accountable."

That statement made me laugh. Someone attacked me being held accountable?! What a joke! I was about to say something when the world started spinning. Before I knew what was happening, I think I fell forward. Groaning made several people sigh. I was so confused. What happened?

"Sweetie, how you feeling?" Rob asked

I turned my head towards the sound of the voice. My confused expression amused him. 

"Lilja? You're burning up with fever. Duane is working on getting paramedics to meet us at the venue." Kirsi stated with a sad tint to her voice

I opened my mouth but no sound would come out. My sister rubbed my leg in a comforting manner and told me not to speak.

"You need to take some Tylenol to help get the fever down." Taimi chuckled, "You're lucky you and Tim were fighting. If you'd been here alone you might've cracked your skull or something."

Kirsi handed me two pills. I popped them in my mouth and Taimi helped get a good drink of my Gatorade. Taimi said she's switch out the rags and took the one I didn't realize was folded on my forehead. Rob said he'd talk to me later and gave my shoulder a squeeze before he left the...back lounge? Taimi returned and placed a nice, cold folded wash rag back on my forehead. She gave me a smile before leaving. Kirsi looked at the door to make sure no one was coming before turning back to me.

"Tim was terrified when you suddenly passed out. He caught you then picked you up bridal style and brought you back here. The poor guy was pacing around and looked so nervous and scared all at the same time. He was only angry with you because he cares. Hearing that you had been stabbed kinda freaked everyone out. 

And those that hugged you before dinner feel really bad figuring they'd hurt you even more. Duane actually took Tim back to their bus so they could talk quietly. When they left, I think Tim was actually in tears. "

I went to say something but she shook her head no.

"Sis, you need your rest. We'll be getting to the venue in the early hours of the morning. There should be medical professionals waiting to take a look at you. Don't worry about anything, ok. Taimi and I will take care of anything that comes up. Let's get you into your bunk so you can actually get some rest." My sister told me

She helped me up and then to the bunk area. She was even kind enough to help me get settled in my bunk. I was closing my eyes when she was closing my curtain. Tim and I were fighting. He cared enough to be hurt that I hadn't told him I'd been injured. He cared enough to fight with me. I had hurt him. That's not what I wanted to do. The guilt I was feeling was just magnified tenfold as I drifted off into a not-so-contented sleep. 

"Lilja? Sweetie, get up. We've arrived at the venue. There's paramedics here to check you out." I heard Kirsi state

I groaned before trying to sit up. She helped me up and to my feet.

"Oh sweetie, you're running a pretty high fever it seems." Kirsi quietly said as we slowly walked off the bus

"Hello. I'm Jason and this is my partner Shelley. We were contacted about someone having been stabbed." One tall paramedic stated as we exited the bus

"I'm Kirsi and this is my sister Lilja. She was stabbed about a week and a half ago. I've been doctoring her but I think it's still getting infected. I change her bandages every few hours and clean the wound as best as I can with Hydrogen Peroxide. She's been sponge-bathing to help keep the area clean as well." Kirsi explained as Shelley moved my shirt to remove my bandages

Jason started taking my vital signs while his partner looked at my wound. I winced in pain so Shelley apologized for hurting me and that my wound was definitely infected. My blood pressure was up, I was definitely running a fever, and my oxygen was a bit low. As I was still being looked at, Duane walked off their bus and came over to stand with my sister. Shelley complimented Kirsi on how well she'd been doctoring me. She thought that what I'd been stabbed with might have been "nasty" and that's why my wound had gotten infected despite the, obvious, good care. 

They had a doctor that they were going to refer me to for prescriptions. I wouldn't need an appointment because they were calling it in for me. They suggested we be there when the office opened and Duane said that we'd be there. They were able to give me a pain killer shot after I signed all the right forms which was greatly helpful. Jason gave Duane all the information that I'd need for the doctor. Shelley was cleaning and re-dressing my wound while Jason and Duane chatted. I really hated this because I knew Duane was going to make damned sure I went to this doctor. All I needed was some antibiotics to take care of the infection and I'd be fine.

It was really the only thing I needed. I could handle the pain, like I usually do when I get injured, although the pain medicine was definitely nice! Kirsi said that Duane was going to get everything set up for our trip to this doctor and I knew he'd be going with us. She suggested we try and get a little rest before we left for this. She headed to her bunk but I just laid down on one of the couches. As I laid there in the quiet of the early morning, I began thinking of the "fight" Tim and I had had. 

He was really upset with me. He was really upset that I neglected to tell him, and everyone else, that I'd been injured. _"Why do you care? Huh? We're friends, that's why I care"_ kept playing in my mind over and over. I had hurt him and didn't mean to. Honestly my intentions were to save them from worry. Would he talk to me again? Had I completely shattered whatever trust there was between us? I sighed heavily.


	13. Deep

"You sigh a lot." I heard Richard's deep voice break into my thoughts

I jumped, startled, since I figured they'd all still be asleep or back to sleep. He chuckled at my expression as he sat down on the couch across from me.

"Care to talk?" He asked

I sighed again, "I'm sure you're all wondering why I didn't tell you."

"It's been a topic of discussion, yes." He replied

"You guys all give 100% of yourselves to your fans which is something I love about you. I didn't want to worry anyone, I didn't want pity, or to be babied. I've taken care of myself and my sisters for a very long time. This ain't my first injury and it probably won't be my last." I said as I tried to explain myself

"You're an independent young woman. We get it." He stated making me inwardly smile at how deep even his speaking voice was, "But we're all friends here. You don't have to depend on yourself, ok? We all hate that you've been hurt and want to help you anyway we can."

"I understand. Y'all have to understand, too, that I've been this way since we were four. It's hard for me to let others, besides my sisters, 'help' me. I'll.... I'll work on it, though." I replied with a shy smile

"Fair enough. What else have you been thinking about?" He asked

Damn, what was he? Psychic?! My shocked look said that he could probably tell me what else I was thinking about.

"Joe said you and Tim were getting into a fight when you passed out yesterday. That Tim was really angry because you hadn't told anyone you'd been injured." Richard stated

"Yeah." I said, looking down at the ground

"Are you mad at him?" He asked me

"What? Why would I be mad at him?" I questioned, immediately looking up into his smiling face

"I don't know." He shrugged, still smiling at me

"I..... I feel bad that I hurt them. That wasn't my intentions when I decided not to tell y'all. And for some reason, I don't like him being mad at me." I confessed

He just smiled at me again before wishing me a speedy recovery. Before he left our bus, he said that we could go to any of them if we wanted to talk. I thanked the bass singer making him smile once more at me. Why would I be mad at Tim? I mean, who on Earth could be mad at that handsome face?! Woah! Where the hell did that come from?! With a sigh, I closed my eyes to try and get some sleep. Being shaken brought me out of a semi-comfortable sleep. Duane, William Lee, and Joe were sitting on the other couch and Taimi was kneeling by my head. She said that Kirsi and Duane were ready to head over to the doctor's.

My grunts made the trio of men chuckle at me. Kirsi asked me how I was feeling so I just shrugged my shoulders. Joe told me they were gonna keep my sisters company as Duane escorted me to see this doctor. I sighed heavily as I padded my way to the small bathroom to do my business. We needed to leave soon so I just slipped into my flops, grabbed my wallet & phone, and followed Duane off the bus. Rob, Tim, and Adam were standing outside their bus discussing breakfast plans as Duane and I walked past them to get to a rented SUV. Jim was going to be driving us, apparently. 

Rob gave me a warm smile as I walked past them. Adam caught my eye and I quickly looked away. I didn't bother looking back because I didn't want to see the hurt look on Tim's face. By the time we'd made it the thirty or so feet to the rented SUV, I was fighting tears. I let Duane climb in the front passenger seat. Once we were on the road, I took my phone out and began looking through the photos of the bus party. Every time I saw a photo of Tim (or a photo of me & Tim), I couldn't help but smile. He really did have a beautiful smile. I sighed again.

Duane brought me out of my staring at photos by announcing we'd arrived. Unceremoniously, I climbed out of the back and followed him into the building. I got checked in and waited for my name to be called. Duane came back with me, at my request, because I was sure I'd probably forget important information. He handed the middle-aged doctor the papers that the paramedics had given him. We sat in silence as he looked it over. He called in his nurse to help him check over my wound. They also cleaned and re-dressed it. To my surprise, he put in dissolvable stitches since the wound kept being torn open by my tossing and turning.

"Ok, Miss. I agree with the paramedics in their assessment. It is definitely infected. I'm putting you on a strong antibiotic, a muscle relaxer, and a mild pain killer. Don't skip on any of the antibiotics. I'll send you home with some good medical supplies to keep that wound cleaned and dressed, as well. These dissolvable stitches will come out on their own so you won't need to go somewhere to have them removed." He told me as the nurse scribbled things down

"Alright. Thank you." I quietly stated

"There's a pharmacy a few miles from here that will fill your prescriptions. Take care of yourself, Miss." The doctor told me a smile, "Karen, get her one of the med kit b's please."

"Thank you, doctor." Duane said

The nurse finished up with my little "chart" before leaving the room. We sat there in silence until Karen returned. She had a bag that seemed pretty full. There were some papers I needed to sign so she went over all that boring stuff. She handed me my prescriptions as well as directions to the pharmacy before I was able to leave. Duane and I both thanked her before we left. I stayed quiet as we walked out to the SUV. He gave Jim the directions to the pharmacy so off we went. To my dismay, we had to wait over an hour for my prescriptions to be filled. 

After what felt like forever, we were finally on our way back to the venue. I thanked both men for their assistance today. Duane pulled me into a careful hug. He wished me a speedy recovery and made me promise that I'd let them know if I needed anything. I gave the older man a warm smile before taking my bag of medical supplies and bag of prescriptions and slowly walking to my bus. Instead of Joe and William Lee, I found the guys of Home Free chillin' on our bus with my sisters.

"How'd it go?" Kirsi asked

I threw the bag with medical supplies at her before taking my meds and walking to the bunk area. There was no way I could face Tim right now. Slipping out of my shoes, I grabbed my Gatorade bottle (that I hadn't finished), my pillow & blanket and headed to the back lounge. I'd sweated pretty bad and needed to wash my bedding. 'The Lord of the Rings' had just started when I heard a knock at the door frame. Looking up, I found Tim standing there.

"Mind if I sit down?" He quietly asked me

I shrugged as I looked away from him. He moved to sit down next to me and I felt myself tense up a bit. 

"I just want to apologize for the other night." He said

I whipped my head around to look at him. He was apologizing to me?!

"I realize we're not dating so I really had no right getting angry with you. But when Kirsi finally broke down and said the reason you'd been so distant was because you'd been stabbed, we all just kind of...... we were all scared and hurt I guess." He confessed, avoiding eye contact with me

Was he...did he think I was mad at him? Why on Earth would _I_ be mad at _him?_

"You have nothing to apologize for. I told both my sisters not to tell anyone." I told him, "I guess I should be apologizing to y'all. The last thing I wanted was to worry you guys or upset you. That's part of why I didn't tell you."

"We're big boys, we can handle things. Can I get a little personal?" He asked

I swallowed the lump in my throat that had suddenly formed, "Yeah sure."

"What was the other part of why you didn't want to tell us?" He asked as Rob and Adam made their way to the back

"That's a conversation for another time." I simply stated

"Are you feeling any better?" Rob asked, giving me a warm smile

"I will once the antibiotics kick in." I shrugged, "But he gave me a muscle relaxer and a pain killer. I'm supposed to 'take it easy' but I don't know how much easier I'm supposed to take it."

My lame joke made the guys laugh. Hearing their, and especially Tim's, laughter brought a smile to my face. It was such a relief to know he wasn't mad at me. That still baffled me why it upset me so much to think that he was mad at me. They wanted better details about my attack so reluctantly I told them all the gory details. I could feel Tim's whole body tensing up in anger. Rob shot him a look but Tim didn't calm down much. 

Rob, being the sweetheart that he is, wanted to know if there were anything that they could help me and my sisters with. I chuckled as I told them there really wasn't unless they wanted to finish writing our project for us. Adam laughed and said that Tim was a songwriter but he didn't think that would translate into what I was doing. His statement made me chuckle too as I gently patted Tim's knee. 

Taimi came back to say that we were stopping for lunch and gas. The truck stop had an Iron Skillet so we'd get to have lunch while the busses were getting gas and fluids. I picked up the bag with my meds in it and cautiously stepped over Tim's incredibly long legs. There was shuffling behind me so I figured the three men were getting up and following me off the bus. Unfortunately, I was still running a fever. It made me a bit dizzy so as I was stepping off the bus it hit me. It was a damned good thing Tim was there to catch me, once again, before I fell. 

"You ok, darlin'?" His sweet, low voice asked from behind me

"Hmm? Yeah. A bit dizzy is all. The nurse told me that would be normal since my fever is so high. Once the antibiotics and stuff kick in, I'll be a lot better." I said as I realized his arms were still around me

"What's going on here?" Barry laughed as he and Brent walked up to us

"I got a bit dizzy as I stepped off the bus. Tim has some serious cat-like reflexes and he caught me before I did a nose-dive to the pavement." I laughed

"What made you dizzy?" Brent questioned, touching my arm in concern

"Fever." I simply stated

I looked around to see where my sisters were and caught Eric's eye. He seemed not too pleased that Tim's arm was still around me but I gave him a smile.

"Why are you running a fever?" Barry asked, "Are you ok? Can we do anything for you? Do you need anything?"

"Nah, honey, I'm good." I replied, "I'm running a fever because a week and a half ago I was, uh, stabbed at a gas station. Don't worry about me, though. I have a good antibiotic, muscle relaxer, and a pain killer."

"Oh my God!" Brent exclaimed as we slowly walked into the building

I just laughed and reiterated that I was fine and had already seen a doctor. They both hugged me as Austin and Chance walked up with Taimi. Kirsi was chatting with Zach and Eric about video games which made me laugh. Tim was sticking really close to me. In case I stumbled again, right? Yeah that's why! Kirsi decided to sit with the Shinedown boys so she could continue her conversation with Zach. Tim decided to sit next to me today which I thought was cute. 

All the Oaks were sitting with us and Home Free. Shinedown weren't too far away but I'm not sure they could hear our conversations. We all ordered dinner and were just sitting around talking and laughing like old friends. I never realized how much I missed this when I was segregating myself. Austin looked over at me and I knew that he had a question that was going to be.... Interesting.

"Can I ask you something?" He said

"You just did but go ahead and ask something else." I retorted making everyone laugh

"You said that you had beaten Kirsi's husband to death a few years back. What happened?" He asked

"Austin!" Rob scolded the boy-faced man

"It's ok, Rob." I said before taking a deep breath, "Let me start out by saying that I am fiercely protective over people I care deeply about. I don't rightly care who the f'k you are, you mess with me or someone I care about I will f'k your world up." 

 

"This is gonna be a very interesting story." Chance stated with a half-grin

"So Kirsi got married years ago. Decent enough guy I suppose. He never sent my radars off so I left things alone. They eventually had two adorable little boys. The oldest was about..... four.... At the time. The other was about two. Now, she was still going to college full time and he worked at a local factory. He had a good job. Made enough money to support the family but they weren't taking fancy vacations every few months, if you know what I mean.

They weren't surviving on beans or anything but they were, you know, comfortable. One Saturday she left to go run errands with us. Pay bills, get some things that they needed and stuff like that. Well her husband was supposed to be watching the boys while she was gone. He'd watched the kids before so there was no reason to think things weren't going to be ok while she was gone.

There was this shallow creek running behind their house. Probably forty or fifty feet from their house. The cops..... wait, I'm jumping ahead of myself. She came home and found her husband passed out in his recliner. He'd drank himself into oblivion. While daddy was passed out, the boys snuck out of the house knowing they weren't supposed to go outside by themselves. She went searching for the kids and found them outside in the creek." I stated

"Oh my God, no." Rob exclaimed, bringing his hands up to his face

"The youngest was face down in the creek. The older one was trying to get him 'awake'. She called 911 and grabbed her older son. The cops think what happened was that they were being boys and chasing one another around being silly. The younger one tripped and hit his head on a rock and landed face down. 

The poor thing had all these scrape marks on his face. Apparently, his big brother was trying to help him by attempting to drag him out of the creek. He drowned. It just killed Kirsi. Us too, honestly. She, of course, blamed her husband for the tragedy because if he had been sober it most likely wouldn't have happened. 

So fast forward a year. Kirsi was just coming out of the deep depression she'd slipped into. She had left to once again run some errands. Paying bills, getting groceries, had to have an oil change and get some new tires. Boring stuff like that. She came home to police, paramedics, and the fire department at their home. It had somehow caught fire. Her husband was once again drunk and he had suffered some smoke inhalation. Their remaining son had fallen asleep on the floor watching cartoons. He, uh...." I said tearing up

"It's ok, sweetie." Tim said, draping an arm around my shoulders for support while Richard (who was on my right) grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze

"Their remaining son died at the scene from carbon monoxide poisoning. It just devastated Kirsi. It angered me. I always thought her husband had done it on purpose but I never had any proof. So, I guess you wanna know how we got to the point of me beating him to death? Well after they buried their last child, he changed. Alcohol took over and his whole personality changed. Kirsi quit calling us. Her friends and neighbors said she quit going out with them. 

I finally had enough after almost a year of not hearing from my sister. Taimi and I drove to their place. They had moved after they got married and were living in Michigan at the time. 19 hours and I drove straight through. Something told me there was something very serious going on. We'd talked about surprising them with a visit on several occasions but school and work and other stuff always came up. A gnawing in the pit of my stomach was the kick I needed.

We pulled into their yard I knew. I knew something was wrong. Their normally well-cared for yard was a wreck. Her car hadn't moved in a really long time. The door was locked so I more or less broke into their house. As soon as Taimi and I stepped inside my breath caught in my throat. This was not the home of a couple. It was..... alcohol and beer bottles scattered everywhere. Trash piled up, the smell was almost enough to knock you down.

When I stepped into their bedroom I saw red. There was my sister curled up naked on a rug at the foot of the bed. There was a food and water bowl next to the bed. They didn't have a dog. Taimi was trying to get Kirsi up off the floor and was asking her what happened. My sister looked like death warmed over. She'd lost so much weight, her eyes were sunken in, and you could just see that the desire to even live was not there anymore. He came out of the bathroom and saw us. He started yelling at us about breaking into his house and I just lost my shit.

I ran at him and we both hit the floor. That's the last I remember. When I woke up, I was handcuffed to a hospital bed." I stated

"Oh my God." Austin stated

"Let me pick up where Lilja left off. Once she ran at him, I moved Kirsi and I out into the living room. While they were fist fighting, I grabbed some clothes and dressed my sister. She was so weak that she could barely hold her head up. I picked her up and left the house. I got her settled in the backseat of Lilja's truck and helped her drink some Gatorade that I had. Suddenly glass shattering could be heard. I covered her up with a throw blanket we'd brought with us.

I rushed back into the house to see him pick Lilja up by her throat and toss her into a wall. I knew this was not going to end well so I dialed 911. I don't know if you've ever seen two lions fighting over food but I think Lilja and that jerk were worse than that. We've seen her get hurt plenty over the years and although it never really gets any easier it does give us a sense of security knowing that she's so protective over us.

And he definitely did his fair bit of damage to her. He wound up breaking her leg in two places, fractured some ribs, and lots of other lacerations and bruising. He tried strangling her at one point but I threw an ashtray at him which definitely got his attention. He came rushing over to me and nearly choked me to death until Lilja got her bearings. I don't think I'd ever seen Lilja as..... 'to see red' was an understatement for her. 

The cops finally arrived and when they tried to get her off him, she began trying to fight them too. It took everything I had to make them understand that she was in fight mode and couldn't recognize that they were the good guys, so to speak. Jerk was still breathing by this point but just barely. They handcuffed Lilja, mostly for her and their protection, and had her sitting in one of their cars. She was covered in blood, hers and jerks, and was just staring into space. I had to explain what had happened and that Kirsi needed to be seen by the paramedics.

She wound up having to spend several weeks in the hospital because she was so malnourished. I got her into therapy as well which did wonders for her. Lilja actually slipped into a coma for a few days. When she came to, she was still handcuffed to the bed for her protection. Once they realized she was no longer a threat, they took them off. She spent a few days in the hospital before she was allowed to leave. Naturally we stuck around until Kirsi was able to be released." Taimi explained

"So her husband died at the hospital?" Rob asked

"Yep. Internal injuries. Apparently Lilja had broken a few ribs in their scuffle and one had actually punctured his heart." Taimi replied with a sad smile

"Damn, girl. Remind me never to piss you off." Austin chuckled

"I don't even know what to say. I can't even begin to imagine what you went through." Adam said looking at my sister, "Cerise is my little Princess. If something happened to her. . . ."

"It's ok, Adam. It still gets to us all from time to time, especially on their birthdays, but they're never really gone as long as we have memories." Taimi stated, leaning over and giving him a one-armed hugged


	14. Temporary move

After dinner, everyone gave us all tight hugs. They were careful with me due to the stab wound. Now that my belly was full, I decided to take the next dose of my meds. I didn't know how the muscle relaxer and pain killer were gonna affect me. We were already at the venue so my sisters and I headed back to our bus. The meds I'd taken were already starting to work because I was so sleepy all of a sudden that I could barely keep my eyes open. I crawled into my bunk and went to sleep. 

When I awoke, I didn't realize how late it was. We were still parked because the bus wasn't moving. I wondered how much of the show I could catch and which band was playing this evening. As I sat on the couch debating on whether to go check out the show, I began yawning again. Before I knew it, I'd fallen asleep again. It took me a couple days but I realized I couldn't take the muscle relaxer and pain killer at the same time because it completely knocked me on my butt. Our bus started acting up and Taimi was getting a bit worried thinking we may have some bus issues. 

Our driver, Davey, was talking to the Oaks' driver about the bus. After trying to get it fixed themselves, they finally had to go to the tour manager and talk with him. It was starting to worry me because I really didn't want to get sent home over a freakin' bus! Later that afternoon, Duane boarded our bus. We all greeted him warmly as he sat down. He told us about the issue with the bus. It was suddenly having some engine troubles and The Boys didn't want it to actually break down, so Duane had called the school to get it into the shop and try to get us another in the meant time.

He said we may need to figure out where we wanted to stay if they couldn't get us a new bus right away and that we should probably start packing our stuff back up. Taimi asked who he thought we should room with until we had another bus. He glanced over at me then back to her. "Home Free" he said with a warm smile. I inwardly groaned and smiled at the same time. Thankfully, I was healing pretty good from the stabbing but I still wasn't 100%. Some days it was easier for me to sleep on the couch than my bunk.

Taimi and I had somewhat reluctantly moved onto Home Free's bus while Kirsi had moved onto Shinedown's bus. I hated it because I knew I had nightmares and was deathly afraid of waking them up. The last thing I really wanted was to explain to them why I was having such nightmares to begin with. Their bus was already crowded with the five of them and their five-man road crew. The addition of two more people could not have been fun for the ten guys! Luke was sleeping on one of the couches in the front so that I could have an actual bed to sleep on. Their sound guy was sleeping on the across from Luke so that Taimi could have a bed to sleep on. We protested it and said we were fine sleeping on the couches but they all insisted.

I was still perfecting the story for our project while the bands were touring together. Shinedown performed one night, The Oak Ridge Boys the next night and Home Free the last night or whatever order the tour people decided on. Each band basically got two days' off between shows. I'd been working re-writing some parts of the story when I finally decided to call it a night. All these guys kept us laughing and I figured that had a big part of why I hadn't had any nightmares in a while. Honestly, I was very thankful for that because the nightmares I had were absolutely terrifying. I usually ended up crying myself back to sleep.

One night I was woken up by a deep male voice asking me if I was ok. Startled, I bolted straight up in my bunk and banged my head on the bunk above me. I could feel tears already sliding down my cheeks. 

"Oh, darlin' are you ok? Let's get you out of the bunk so I can see if you hurt yourself." I heard that beautiful bass voice say

I was kind out of it, still reeling from the nightmare itself, as he helped me out of the bunk then grabbed my hand and led me to the back of the bus. We sat down and he turned on a lamp to check my head. He cupped my left cheek with his right hand as he looked me over. All I could really do was just stare at his bare chest. Well, it was more like staring into his bare chest because I wasn't really looking at anything. He was talking to me but it seemed like I was in a dream. 

"Lilja? Lilja, are you ok?" Tim asked, voice full of concern and worry

"Huh?" I asked, finally looking up into those beautiful chocolate orbs

"Darlin', you were screaming in your sleep. I went to see if you were alright then you sat straight up and hit your head on the bottom of the bunk above you. And you're crying." He explained, hand still cupping my cheek

"I'm sorry for waking you. I'm ok." I quietly stated, trying to hide my sniffles

Of course, that was a bit hard to do since the only sounds were of the road and the occasional snoring of men in the bunk area. I didn't want to lie but I also didn't want to get into this nightmare or why I was having them. He immediately pulled me into a hug. I think that fried my brain!

"Are you sure? You seem pretty upset." He replied, rubbing my back before we pulled a part again

We went back to the same position as before with him cupping my cheek. I swear he was rubbing my cheek with his thumb! The affection was nice although it was undeserving, and, for a brief moment, I forgot about everything. With a deep breath, I looked up into those magnificent, soulful eyes.

"I'm sure. Uh, thanks for checking me out." I replied before standing up to head back to my bunk (and not realizing how my statement sounded)

"Anytime, darlin', anytime." He quietly replied, "Are you really sure you're ok? I don't want to leave you upset and crying."

"Yeah, I'm fine. It won't take me long to get back to sleep. Have a good night." I retorted before quickly retorting back to my bunk

I immediately shut the curtain and tried some breathing techniques I'd been taught by one therapist I'd seen years ago. Despite what I'd told Tim, it did take me quite a while to get back to sleep. Every now and then I could get back to sleep relatively quickly but most of the time it took a while. I didn't want these guys to worry about me or think I couldn't get my work done. Thinking about that nightmare had me crying again. When would they stop? Why was I still having them? Once again, I cried myself to sleep unknowing that Tim was standing right outside listening to me cry.

When I woke up, I stumbled to the front of the bus rubbing my eyes. I hit someone and nearly fell on my butt. He was quick to grab me and kept me from falling. Looking up, I found myself staring at not-quite-awake-Tim. He had such an adorable half-asleep face! I blushed as I mumbled 'sorry'. He smiled sleepily at me. I plopped down at their kitchen table and rested my hands on my hands on the table. Luke was already up and in the bathroom apparently. I needed to get back to working on our project. As Luke exited the bathroom, he told us we should be stopping shortly for breakfast. 

I excused myself to get dressed. Grabbing a pair of ripped jeans, a purple tank, and clean undies, I walked to the small bathroom. Luke's "deposit" still had the bathroom smelling atrocious. The urge to vomit was churning in my stomach so I dressed as quickly as possible. As a matter of fact, I was still tugging my top down when I opened the door. 

"Oh my God." I stated making Tim and Adam look at me curiously

"What's wrong?" Austin said as he emerged from the bunk area

"We need our own damn bus again." I stated, and I think Tim pouted, "Luke nearly killed me with his little deposit earlier."

I don't think the guys were ever going to quit laughing. My own pout made Tim smile at me. Austin was quick to wrap an arm around my shoulders and try to comfort me. Taimi stumbled her way up front taking all of Austin's attention. Slowly everyone started waking up for the day. We pulled into an IHOP and waited until the busses parked. We'd be arriving at the venue today so we had two days before we hit the road. Taimi and I were talking about what to do later tonight. I was starting to feel a bit stir-crazy and wanted to get out and away from the busses for a few hours. 

"Morning ladies! How are you feeling today?" Joe said as we all approached the building

"Thirsty. My mouth feels like the Sahara." I pouted

"Poor baby!" Rob exclaimed as he draped an arm around my shoulders, "Are you dehydrated?"

"No, I think it's a side effect of some of these meds." I said as I tried my best not to stutter

The fact was, it happened every time I had a nightmare. Of course, I wasn't about to actually admit that to these guys!

"Do you ladies have any plans for tonight?" William Lee asked as our large group was led to a table

"Not yet." Taimi replied

"I gotta get off the bus for a while." I chuckled

"Are there any movie theatres around? I was thinking of maybe catching a movie or something." Kirsi asked

"I'd have to look that up. If I remember, I'll send ya the information." Luke stated as he joined our large group

"Is there something in particular you're looking at trying to catch?" Luke asked

The whole table got silent before bursting into a fit of laughter. Even the Oaks were laughing really hard. Poor Luke just hung his head as we laughed. Taimi said she just wanted to see what was playing and if there was anything good, we might go. The waitress came by and I think she recognized some of them. She seemed to be staring at Tim which bothered me a great deal. Richard was watching me as I glared at this chick who seemed to be more interested in Tim than anyone else. 

"Lilja, how are you healing?" Duane asked me

"Ok I guess. Not having to take the pain meds as often but the muscle relaxer is definitely helping quite a bit." I stated, turning my attention away from our slutty waitress

"When do you think you ladies will start filming?" Joe inquired

"Well. I gotta finish getting it written. Then Taimi will proof-read it and suggest any changes she thinks will make it better. We'll go back and forth until we're both satisfied with it. Then we'll give it to Kirsi who'll put it in movie script format. We still gotta work on costumes, too." I stated

"And acquire some green screens. Find locations, pieces of sets, and all that fun stuff." Taimi shrugged with a slight frown

"Sounds like you're still a bit a way off, then." Joe said

"Kinda. Kirsi and I will start on the costuming pretty soon but we need a tailor who can take everyone's measurements. And we need the stuff to actually make the costumes." Taimi replied

"You're going to be making our costumes yourselves?" Rob asked, looking surprised

"Yeppers." Taimi smiled at the bearded tenor

"What do you need to make the costumes with?" Duane asked

"The materials themselves which I'm still working on finding out what would be the best to use for historical accuracy. Sewing machines, that sort of stuff." Kirsi explained

"I'll see what I can do about getting a tailor out while we're here so at least you'll have everyone's measurements." Jim said

"That would be greatly appreciated, Jim. Thank you." Kirsi stated

"What are you planning on doing for DVD extras?" Richard asked

"Well, behind the scenes videos. Outtakes. Uh...." Taimi said thoughtfully

"We're still working on that too!" I laughed as the waitress finally came around to get my order, "Definitely movie trailers too."

We talked about what all we could for our "extras". These guys had me laughing hard at some of their suggestions. I will say, however, that a few of them had some decent ideas. Our breakfast was slowly brought out and I noticed little-miss-hot-stuff (our waitress) kept bugging Tim. Taimi poked me in the side making me grunt. She chuckled before turning her attention back to Austin and Rob.


	15. Gettin' lucky

Breakfast went really well. As we were all walking back to our busses, Duane's phone rang. That wasn't unusual since he was always working, making contacts, and doing all sorts of things. I grabbed my laptop and plopped down on the couch. We still had a ways to go to get to the venue so I got back to working on our project. Someone sat down next to me so I looked over to see who it was. Tim. He smiled at me before looking down at his phone. I guess he was texting or on Facebook or something.

My project got my full attention so I didn't realize when we pulled out of the IHOP parking lot. I worked diligently until we finally made it to the venue. The Oaks and Shinedown had press to do and some photoshoots. Home Free weren't doing as many interviews as the other two bands but they did have some later today. Kirsi boarded the bus and was greeted cordially by everyone. Adam's sweet laughter could be heard from his bunk making most of us smile. He came up front to show us a video of Cerise that Ericha had taken. It was so cute and funny! She definitely looks like she's taking after her daddy, looks wise I mean. 

The guys left the bus to go do what they needed to do for the day. The three of us sat there going over our project and I was thankful that I was getting to the end of my writing the story. Luke boarded the bus again and said that a tailor would be arriving soon to take everyone's measurements, including ours, and that he'd text one of us to let us know when we needed to head inside the venue. Taimi thanked him as I got a text from Duane. He was asking us to come outside. With a shrug, I told my sisters what Duane said. We met him and Jake, Shinedown's head of security, outside the busses. 

Duane was smiling at us as we approached. Kirsi asked what was going on. The older man just pointed to the gate. When we turned we saw a large sleek, black tour bus with tinted windows pulling into the lot. Was...was this our new bus?

"We got lucky. It's a custom bus that the band who'd ordered it never picked it up. There were only three people in the band so there's only four bunks. You do have a small shower and a kitchen on this one." Duane said as the bus parked

"Can we go see it?" Kirsi asked excitedly

Her enthusiasm made both men laugh. Jake wanted to check it out first to make sure everything was on the up-and-up before he allowed us to board. After what felt like forever, we were allowed to board. The other bus was nice but when we boarded this I think we all gasped and stood frozen to the spot. This bus just felt like home. Jake chuckled behind us before we started walking around exploring. The kitchen table was big enough for four people. We had a stove with an oven and there was a full-sized fridge built into the wall. There was even a dishwasher although it was a bit small. We even had a microwave built in. This bus was incredible! 

At the very back there was a bathroom. Small shower, toilet, and sink. There was a place to hang up your towel and a small vanity. There were plenty of cabinet and closet space throughout the bus. The "back lounge" was identical to the front and it still looked amazing. I'm not sure about my sisters but I was tearing up at this bus. Jake showed us the incredible sound system and made sure we knew how to work everything. Each bunk had a built in TV and DVD player and all the TV's were connected to the satellite cable. We had internet just like the other bus and I was very, very thankful for that!

"Oh! Before I forget. You also have a built-in grill in one of the cargo bays." Jake told us

"What?!" Taimi exclaimed, making both men chuckle

"Tim's going to love that." Luke said as he boarded our new bus

"Oh? Why?" Kirsi questioned

"He loves grilling. And he's quite good at it." Luke chuckled

Jake showed us where the grill was and how to get it set up from the cargo bay. I was so happy I was practically squealing in delight. Duane said we should probably head back to Home Free's bus so we could pack up and move into our new bus. I couldn't stop myself as I threw myself into Duane's arms. He just laughed softly and hugged me back. I thanked him for all he was doing for us making him squeeze my waist. 

We parted ways so we could pack up our stuff, what little we didn't have unpacked, and move our belongings onto our new bus. I loved these guys dearly and I loved hanging out with them. Moving back onto our own bus did make me a little sad. Hearing Tim humming or singing absent-mindedly was something I was going to miss. It took us about an hour to make sure we had everything off Home Free's bus (Kirsi was getting her things from Shinedown's bus, obviously), unpacked, and put away on our new bus. Taimi began searching places to go for the evening while I wrote a heart-felt letter to the Home Free fellas and their crew for letting my sister and I live with them for a few weeks. Kirsi was doing what I had done but for Shinedown. 

I wanted to be the first to try out our new bathroom making my sisters laugh. Taimi had said there was a bar that played all sorts of music and had a dance floor. It seemed to be a local favorite and reviews of the place said the food was good too. She got the address for us as I went to take a quick shower. As I "cleaned up", taking the time to make sure the area around my stab wound was nice and clean, I began thinking of Tim. I'm not sure how he got to me the way he does or why I even cared when I thought he was truly mad at me. I've never cared about that before so what was it about him that made me care?

The Boys were playing their show, Shinedown were all out doing their own thing this evening since their wives were with them for a few days, and we hadn't seen the Home Free fellas since breakfast. We decided we'd go to the place that Taimi had found and hang out for the evening. I was, for the first time in a really long time, feeling very feisty, flirty, sexy, and confident. 

My ensemble tonight was a pair of custom made leather pants (hip huggers) that had heart cut-outs going down the outside of both legs. There was a strip of black lace sewn into the inside of the pants that gave a really cool look to the cut-outs. I had a Black Bonded Leather Halter Corset Top that came to a stop just under my belly button. It gave, believe it or not, pretty good support for the "girls" as well. I was wearing some simple black combat boots with my leather pants tucked into them. Thick black eyeliner with a black and silver smokey eye. Bright red lipstick with silver glitter (make up glue for this and specialty make up glitter) with a glossy sealant over top.

Kirsi was wearing a pair of holy hip huggers, identical combat boots, and a white tank top underneath a simple black vest. Her make-up was identical to mine. Taimi was wearing a simple black mini-skirt, a white peasant blouse, and a pair of black wedges. Her make-up consisted of black and purple smokey eye with just a glossy lip gloss. All of us left our hair down but we all took hair ties with us just in case. Taimi was bringing a small hand bag with her so we all put our cell phones, ID's, room keys, and lipstick into it as well as our wallets. 

We left the hotel and I could hear people wolf-whistling at us. I'm sure it wasn't because Kirsi and I were strutting around like rock stars or anything! We were laughing and joking as we walked down the street. We finally found the bar we were looking for and sauntered on in like rock stars. There were quite a few people there already. We found us a table, sat down, and as soon as we were able, we ordered drinks. 

One thing we have picked up over the years was a love, and a talent for, belly dancing. ACDC's _"Thunderstruck"_ came on and my sisters and I looked at one another and grinned. No one else was on the small dance floor so we stood in a line, shoulder to shoulder, and began the little routine we'd come up with for it. I wasn't looking around the bar. I was closing my eyes, getting lost in the movements and the music, and just enjoying myself. We rocked that routine according to all the cheers, claps, and whistles we received when it was over. It made me feel really good so I added a little extra sway to my hips as I walked.

As the three of us sat back down in our chairs, we were laughing. It had been a long time since we'd really danced (outside of dancing/prancing around in our dorm room) and it felt good. We didn't know that the Home Free fellas had entered the bar shortly after we began dancing. They never came over to us, at least for several hours, so we didn't know they were even there. A little while after our first dance, Michael Jackson's _"Thriller"_ came on so we looked at one another and grinned. We had a "routine" for this one too! When it came time for the _"Thriller dance"_ , we actually **DID** the Thriller Dance! Loud cheers, clapping, and wolf whistles could once again be heard making us blush and smile as we walked back to our table.

Kirsi ordered herself a "Blue lagoon", I ordered myself a "After Sex", and Taimi ordered a "Tequila Sunrise". We were just sitting there laughing and talking and just enjoying the evening "off". No schoolwork, no stress, just me and my sisters out on the town having a good time. Our tours were intersecting with other groups which usually wasn't a bad thing. Unless our tour intersected with the one Chuck and Christina were on. Guess who walked into the bar? You guessed it. My ex and his whore of a "girlfriend but not girlfriend". It took maybe forty-five minutes after they arrived before they noticed that we were here too.

He came over and was just irritating me to no end. Taimi told him to leave us alone because he was interrupting our good time. He turned his back on her, to face me more, and kept on his ramblings. He was accusing me of having some torrid love affair with some unknown guy. Kirsi thought it was funny and started laughing. I didn't find it as funny. At first. He was really irritating me, though, and I guess someone decided it was time to intervene. 

"Hey darlin', care to dance?" Tim's low, beautiful, deep voice asked as he came to a stop by our table

"Oh, hi Tim! I didn't know you guys were here! I'd love to." I grinned at him before looking over at Chuck

As Tim was "helping" me off my stool, I noticed that the Judd's "Love is Alive" had just started playing. Ironic, wasn't it? I grabbed Tim's arm as he led me out onto the dance floor. There were already several couples out there slow dancing. His left hand grabbed my right and his right hand slid around my waist and rested on my lower back. There was just something about slow dancing with a country boy that makes the world seem right! Austin had Taimi out dancing, too, and I made a mental note to ask about that later!

"I have to thank you." I stated as we began dancing

"For what?" He asked, flashing me that beautiful grin of his

"For your impeccable timing. Chuck was annoying me to no end. If you hadn't arrived when you did I probably would have punched him." I said, chuckling slightly

"Nah. I gotta thank you for taking the time to dance with me." He said with a wink before he dipped me making me giggle

When he stood me back up, we were both grinning. Oh, this man was quite mischievous. We didn't really talk much, just danced, and stared (at each other). It was nice. The song ended way too soon for me. He pulled me into a tight hug then kissed my cheek before walking me back to my table. Chuck and Christina had gone back to their own table, thankfully. He told us where he and the rest of Home Free were sitting if we wanted to come by and chat. I thanked him as I sat down. He smiled at me one last time before walking away.

"Damn girl! You looked so good out there dancing together!" Taimi exclaimed once he was out of ear-shot

"And let me say just how pissed off Chuck was. I think he's really jealous of Tim right now!" Kirsi added in as she began laughing

"Oh stop. He was just being nice." I retorted, looking down at my drink

Taimi opened up her gallery on her phone and showed me pictures she took of us dancing. He was so tall and I'm so short it was almost comical to see us there together. On the other hand, we did look pretty good together. She showed me another one and if I didn't know any better, I would have sworn he was giving me a very loving look. She showed me one where we were just staring at one another. It was such a sweet photo and it made me smile!

"So who in the hell was that guy?" I heard Chuck exclaim

"Ugh, Chuck. Leave us alone." Kirsi stated with a huff

"This is between Lilja and me." He retorted, "So who is he? Some local yokel flavor of the week?!"

I'd had enough of Chuck and him ruining our good time. We didn't realize that a few of the Home Free fellas (Austin and beatboxer-freak-of-nature) had gotten up to play pool and were now standing just a few feet away listening to this crazy conversation. Ooops! If I'd known that, I probably would have either kept my mouth shut or changed my choice of words. What I said next, however, I think was the real beginning of a relationship I never thought I would have or that I deserved.

"Are you jealous of Tim, Chuck? I mean, I get it. Sweet, southern country boy with a voice that makes most men question their sexuality. Funny, intelligent. I'd be jealous too!" I countered with a smirk making both my sisters laugh

"So? His voice ain't that great!" Chuck tried to retort but I started laughing pretty hard 

"How do you know, Chuck?" Taimi asked innocently, "Or.... or are you upset that he really is making you question your sexuality? You're not really mad at whatever you think Lilja's doing. You're mad and taking your anger out on her because this smokin' hot man is making you question things and making you uncomfortable?!"

"Chuck, that man can easily blow out speakers with **JUST HIS LOW NOTES.** Can you do that? Oh, no you can't." I stated, earning a head nod from my sisters, "Oh, wait....are you a secret fanboy? Is this what this is? You're jealous because someone other than you might appreciate him?"

"Whatever! He's just another country hick. A dime a dozen." Chuck stated making us all laugh even harder, "And besides, what makes him so damned great that you gotta be a cheating whore?"

"Nice comeback, Chuck." Taimi said, rolling her eyes

"Firstly, Tim is anything but a 'dime a dozen'. Secondly, I broke up with your loser ass seven years ago. We are not together anymore. And because I'm single, that means I'm not cheating. Thirdly, I think you need to look up the definition of 'whore'. I haven't had sex since I broke up with you. Last, and this is really important, why are you so jealous of Tim?" I said, cocking an eyebrow curiously at my ex

"I am **NOT** jealous! And no, I broke up with you. You know why? You wouldn't put out." He started out making me gasp in shock and my sisters laugh

"He had to find a real woman to satisfy him." Christina added in, "And Chuck has never been attracted to men much less that ugly loser."

"Anyone who knows me, knows I have a libido that would rival Motley Crue. Not 'putting out' is the absolutely last reason I've split from anyone. A real man, and we all know that Chuck is far from being a real man, doesn't cheat. If you're not jealous then why are you so damned concerned about what I do with other people?" I retorted

"Chuck is a man. Much more than that loser you're fucking right now." Christina stated 

I laughed so hard my sides were actually starting to hurt. 

"Then why is that _'loser'_ , as you called him, making Chucky question his sexuality?" Kirsi laughed

"I am **NOT!** " Chuck yelled angrily, stomping his foot for effect

"I really don't blame you Chuck. If I were a dude, he'd make me question my sexuality!" Taimi howled in laughter

 

"There's nothing I can say that's going to convince you I'm not sleeping with anyone even though I haven't dated nor had 'relations' with any other human being since I broke it off with Chucky boy. Chuck wouldn't know what a real man was, or a real woman for that matter, if he was handed a dictionary." I said making quite a few people laugh pretty damned hard once again

"You know, it seems Chuck is more in tune with your sex and love life than you are!" Kirsi said making us all laugh

"We all know how you landed this gig. The leap from stripper to whore isn't much." Chuck stated making me gasp yet again

"Chuck, I've told you before that me working as a stripper isn't anything I'm ashamed of. It fed me and my sisters and kept a roof over our heads. I am not ashamed of what I've done to support my family. You tell yourself whatever you want to make your bruised little ego feel better, ok? Anyone who knows me, knows I don't just sleep with anyone. I don't cheat, don't sleep around, none of that nonsense. Can you say the same, Chuck?" I spewed

"I never cheated! And even if I did, it was because you either wouldn't give me some or the sex was just, just..... horrible!" Chuck tried to counter

"My skills under the sheets have never come into question until I broke it off with you." I retorted as I crossed my arms across my massive chest

"I still want to talk about Chuck fanboying about Tim." Taimi laughed

"I am not fanboying about that loser! What makes him so fucking great, anyways?" Chuck countered, nostrils flaring as he started to get really angry

"The fact that you're getting so defensive about it says that you are." Kirsi added in making Taimi and I chuckle, "And I for one am looooooving the conversation about Chucky fanboying over Tim. I think it's cute!"

"Besides having my attention, does it really matter?" I asked with another smirk

I could hear 'ooohs' from around us which just made me even more cocky!

"I want to know what makes him so great." Chuck defiantly stated, crossing his arms across his chest

"You want a break down? Ok, Chucky here it is. That deep, sexy voice of his makes most women's panties wet. He can blow speakers with some of his lowest notes. He's got the most awesome sense of humor. He's a really intelligent guy. He's got the work ethic and drive to succeed at anything he puts his mind too." I stated earning head nods from my sisters, "Want me to go on? How about what an awesome song writer he is? Or what an amazing vocalist he is in general? Oh yeah, let's talk about the fact that he's hot as hell. Wanna talk about that sweet ass of his? Tall, long hair, sexy deep voice, sweet gentlemanly southern boy. Perfection on Earth." 

I think Chuck's chin dropped which made me smirk again. Christina was glaring at me. Kirsi and Taimi were high-fiving one another.

"If you were more of a woman, he wouldn't have needed me." Christina stated defiantly

"If he was more of a man, he'd have been able to keep it in his pants." I countered

"I wanna know which of them you're fucking to get three bands in your project." Chuck stated, "I mean, besides that country hick."

I smiled sweetly at the pair, "Who said I had to fuck anyone? Our work stands on its own unlike yours. And unlike you, Christina, I don't have to suck dick to get my grades."

The pair stood there in silence glaring at me angrily. I just smirked knowing I'd really angered them both. 

"Nothing else to say? Y'all can go away now." I stated

Christina called me a whore before walking back to their table with some of their friends. Taimi began shooing Chuck away as I turned to Kirsi to ask if she wanted to split some nachos or something. Once Chuck left, we all started laughing pretty hard. None of us noticed Austin and Adam had abandoned their pool playing attempt and headed straight back to their table. We were talking about food when Godsmack's _"VooDoo"_ came on. It was another song we loved dancing too!

Needless to say, the three of us were up very quickly belly dancing to a song that sounded like it was written for belly dancers! We were having such a good time and it was times like these that made me forget our horrific past. I glanced up and, surprise surprise, locked eyes with Tim. There was something in his eyes that made my insides tingle! I quickly looked away. His intense stare was almost too much for me! Since I was busy keeping an "eye on Tim", I didn't notice Adam was videoing us dancing! 

All too soon the song ended and we started walking back to our table amidst very loud cheers, claps, and once again wolf whistles. My sisters and I all blushed at the attention simply because we all just loved dancing and honestly didn't think we were that great or very attractive. When our waitress came by to check on us, I ordered a sweet tea along with a refill of my other drink. All that dancing made me really thirsty!


	16. Facebook

Kirsi's phone rang so she picked it up earning a 'look' from me. We were out tonight to relax and have a good time. Apparently one of our fellow students was needing some help so they called her. My phone buzzed signaling a notification. It was a Facebook posting from someone I followed. Who could that be?

_"Out with the fellas tonight having some laughs, having a few drinks, playing some pool, and listening to a wide range of music. Saw the most amazing thing any of us have ever witnessed. Hope we can catch something like that again! –Home Free –At Charlie's Hot Spot"_

My eyes went wide. Were they...did they....was this posting about us? No, it couldn't be. But what were they referring to then? Charlie's Hot Spot is where we are at this very minute. This post was made..... right after the last song we danced to. I shook my head. Here I go again, reading too much into things. One of my flaws, at least to me, is that I tend to over-analyze everything. 

"Here you ladies go." Our waitress said

"We didn't re-order drinks." Taimi said, cocking her eyebrow at the short brunette

"That table over there sent them." She replied, pointing to a table where the Home Free guys were all sitting acting innocent

"Well that's mighty nice of them! Would you return the favor by bringing them a pitcher of beer. Whatever the majority likes." I said with a soft smile

"Sure thing!" She said as she gathered up empty glasses, "Oh, I think they're fans of yours. All five couldn't quit staring the last two times you three were on the dance floor."

I think my eyes popped out of my head. Taimi cocked her eyebrow at me so I turned my phone so she could read their Facebook posting. She began giggling at what they'd written. 

"I wonder if we can request songs?" Taimi asked with an almost evil smile

"Sure can. Just go talk to the blond by the stage." Our waitress said before walking away

"What song?" Taimi asked as she slid off her stool

"Shakira." I immediately stated

I had to show Kirsi what they had posted to Facebook. She, too, thought they were referring to us. Hearing that we were definitely gonna give them a show. She giggled as she walked away to talk to the blond by the stage. I watched, doing my best to not look over to where the guys were sitting, as she talked with him. She was smiling as she walked back. Or strutted back, should I say. She told us that it would be played in about five songs. I nodded as I took a deep sip of my alcoholic drink and smiled. These guys really were too kind.

We chatted and laughed about Chuck and his weird insecurities. Before we knew it, _"Whenever, Wherever"_ began playing. We all began giggling as we slid off our stools and headed to the dance floor. Anyone who was there immediately left giving us room to dance. I looked up and saw that all five of them had left their table so that they could find a better view of us. We began moving and gyrating. Kirsi said that Austin was videoing us. I blew kisses to the group as I gyrated my hips. If I didn't know any better, I thought that Tim actually bit his lower lip. 

This was such a fun song to dance to much like _"VooDoo"!_ All too soon the song ended. We started laughing as we began walking back to our table. Some guy stopped Taimi and, at least to me, seemed a bit creepy about whatever he was telling or asking her. She began looking around silently asking for help. To my surprise, Austin was quick to make it to her side. Rob made his way over and was talking with Kirsi. It was then that an older gentleman, he had to be in his mid-40's, came strolling over. Honestly, he looked like a 70's porn producer with his mustache and the clothes he was wearing.

"You sure are good at gyrating them hips, girl." He said

"Uh...thanks." I said as I turned to walk back to my table

He grabbed my arm making me turn quickly around to see what he wanted.

"Where you going, pretty lady?" He asked

"Back to my seat so I can get something to drink." I stated, "Now please let me go."

"Why don't you come sit with me?" He asked as he started pulling me towards his table

"Leave me alone, you creep!" I stated angrily as I tried to pull my arm out of his grasp

"Come on, sexy. You've been asking for company all night with the way you move that sexy little body of yours." He stated

"Let me go! **NOW.** " I stated, still trying to get my arm back

This fucker sure had one hell of a grip. He was trying to feel me up with his other hand when suddenly there was a tall brunette standing next to me who shoved this guy pretty damned hard.

"The lady said to leave her alone. Now I'd suggest you do that before you get yourself into a whole lot of trouble." Tim's deep, rumbling voice stated

"This your flavor of the week, honey?" He laughed

Tim was already balling his fist to hit him when I grabbed his arm and pulled him to the dance floor. Rascal Flatts' _"Bless the Broken Road"_ started playing. Rob had Kirsi on the dance floor and they were laughing like old friends. Austin was bringing Taimi over and there was more than just friends happening. I slipped my right hand in his left as he was glaring at the creep who was trying to hit on me.

"Tim? Timmy?" I called out, trying to get his attention

He turned his attention to me and smiled, his whole body relaxed all of a sudden. His right arm slid effortlessly around my waist and he pulled me closer to him. I could smell his amazing cologne. 

"Thank you. If you hadn't have come over, I would probably be beating him senseless right now." I quietly stated, looking at his chest, "But there's no need to get into physical altercations because of me. I'd hate for your good name to get tarnished because of me."

"Nonsense, darlin'. You clearly told him to leave you alone. And he should not have been trying to drag you somewhere you didn't want to be. He's lucky you pulled me out onto the dance floor." Tim stated as he leaned his chin on my head

The gesture made me giggle and I think I felt him smile at me. The song lyrics hit me although I tried not to let it show. 

"Well my sisters had dance partners and I'd look awfully funny trying to slow dance by myself." I joked

He laughed at my really lame joke which made me smile. His eyes almost twinkled when he was really happy. 

"You're a really good dancer. Where did you learn to dance?" He questioned

"Are you talking about slow dancing or belly dancing?" I asked, cocking my eyebrow at him

"Well I was actually referring to slow dancing but now that you mention belly dancing. . . ." He trailed with a grin

"I honestly don't know where we learned to slow dance. The first time we were in college some of the girls on our dorm floor were belly dancing as a form of exercise. We started doing it too and discovered we had a real talent for it." I shrugged, "Can I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything." He replied with a smile

"That Facebook post earlier......" Was all I said

Even as dark as the dance floor was, I could see him blush. It was really cute and I wish I could take a photo of this.

"You, uh, saw that huh?" He asked

"Yeah we did. We don't want to assume anything but if it was about us, it was very flattering." I chuckled

The song ended and he was about to walk me back to our table when Keith Whitley's _"When You Say Nothing At All"_ began playing. Rob walked Kirsi back but Austin and Taimi kept dancing. Tim pulled me to him once more. This time we remained quiet as we danced. How did this feel so natural? Why was I liking this so damned much? Before I knew it, that song ended and a fast one too its place. I didn't let go of Tim as we walked back to our table. Looking up into those beautiful chocolate eyes, I smiled shyly as I thanked him for dancing with me. 

Once he had left to head back to his table, Kirsi showed me the pictures of us she'd taken. She even got some of Austin and Taimi. They looked really cute together I have to admit. The next song started and most of the guys headed to the floor. They were all country boys and definitely liked line dancing. This was the first time I'd seen them doing it, though. Maybe they had just enough alcohol in their systems. I don't know. As they started dancing, I took my phone and began snapping pictures. Taimi was videoing them with soft giggles. These guys were really adorable! 

It was about 1am when my sisters and I decided to head back to the hotel. We paid our tab, grabbed our stuff and were trying to make our way through the crowd to the door. There was quite a crowd at the bar now! Rob caught Kirsi's arm making us all stop.

"Where you ladies going?" Rob questioned

"It's a little after 1am so we decided it was time to head back to the hotel." Taimi replied with a smile

"Come to our table so we can square our tab up and we'll walk you ladies back." Rob told us

We followed the giant teddy-bear of a man back to their table. He told them what we'd said making his table all nod in agreement. Chance said none of them would ever forgive themselves if something happened to us on the way back to the hotel. I noticed, however, that Adam couldn't look any of us in the eyes. That was strange since up until tonight he didn't seem to have a problem. Had we upset him? Was he having a fight with his wife and felt like a kicked puppy? My phone dinged with a new notification so I backed up from the table to see what it was.

As I was looking at my phone, someone behind me (I was facing the table while everyone figured out who owed what) smacked my ass pretty hard. So hard, in fact, I squealed in surprise. Everyone looked over at me as I spun around getting myself into my fighters stance.

"Hey there baby. Aren't you a sexy little thing?" This drunk dude stated as he let his eyes linger on my boobs

"Don't touch me. Quit staring at my boobs. Leave me alone." I stated firmly before turning around

He slapped my ass again making once more turn around. When I did, he grabbed both my boobs with each of his hands. I could hear commotion behind me, coming from the guys' table, but I paid no attention as I balled my fist and hit this creep square in the nose. It began bleeding and that made him angry. He shoved me but I caught myself. 

"Come on. Looking like that and you don't want to be touched?" He laughed

"Don't make me break your hands." I retorted angrily

He reached out like he was about to grab my tits again so I punched him again. Once again, he tried shoving me. When he reached out, I grabbed his wrist and slammed his head down on a nearby table. He couldn't get out of my grasp.

"Look here jerkwad, I told you to leave me the hell alone and apparently you don't know how to keep your filthy hands to yourself. If you don't leave me alone I will break your hand and all five fingers. Understand me?" I stated forcefully

"Come on, Lilja. We're ready to go." Taimi stated

I felt a hand on my lower back so I let go of creeper-dude. Cautiously, I let the creep go and proceeded to follow my group outside. The guys were pretty quiet but my sisters were laughing.

"Oh my God did you see his face when she grabbed his wrist and slammed him into the table!" Taimi howled in laughter, "He sobered up damn quick!"

"You sure are a spitfire!" Tim began laughing

I just grinned as the eight of us walked back to the hotel laughing and joking. Adam still wouldn't look at us. As we approached the hotel, we ran into the fellas of Shinedown who were also calling it a night. Eric's eyes got wide as he looked me up and down. Barry wolf-whistled making all three of us blush, and Jake told us all how good we looked this evening. Brent was eyeing Kirsi making me cock my eyebrow at him. He caught me watching him and I think he started to blush slightly.

We were jam-packed in the elevator which was quite funny to those who were pretty drunk. I found myself being pushed up against Tim and Zach was somehow pushed into my right side. If you were looking into the elevator, I'm sure we all looked like crazy sardines! We hit our floor first so my sisters and I tried to exit. Several of the guys had to exit the elevator first so that we could actually get out. We bid everyone a good night and said we'd probably see them all sometime tomorrow. 

"Zach! Dude, you're fucking drooling on me!" We heard Barry exclaim as we were walking down the hall before the elevator door closed

I bid Kirsi a good night since she had a single room. Taimi and I were rooming in together this go-round. She was changing for bed so I went to the bathroom to do my business and take off all my make-up. I was brushing my hair when she called out and said I had a new notification. Her phone had died so she was putting it on the charger while I changed for bed. Once I was a bit more comfortable, I looked at my phone: _"You have been invited to the group 'New Friends' Accept. Decline."_

As I looked at it, I discovered it was a private group started by Austin! All the Oak Ridge Boys, Shinedown, Home Free, and all three of us had been invited. It made me curious so I accepted the invite. The group, as I said, was private. The description really made me curious: _"Please do not add anyone else. This group is only for us to share photos, videos, and chat when we're not physically together. No one outside the group should be able to see the postings made. All the profiles I added are everyone's personal profiles and not the artist pages. Everyone has access to everything so no need to ask me to post things for you. Enjoy!"_

What on Earth?! Suddenly there was a video that had been added....by Adam! It was when we had danced to _"VooDoo"!_ When the hell did he take this video? I didn't notice him watching us with his phone. Of course, I might have been busy watching Tim watching us. Within a few minutes, there were quite a few 'likes' to the video and I found myself blushing. It confused me as to why I was blushing, too. Then came some comments. 

_"Dang girls! You have some serious skills on the dance floor!"—Ace (Duane's nickname)_

_"Holy smokes! I think you just gave me a heart attack!" – -e-_

_"Way to make an old man's heart stop! LOL! Seriously, you ladies are so multi-talented it's almost ridiculous!" –Joe_

I was giggling at Joe's remarks when I decided to put my phone on the charger and head to bed. Taimi was giggling so I figured she was seeing the post and comments about it. An hour later and she was still giggling somewhat. When I rolled over to look at her, I found that she was texting someone. Closing my eyes I made another mental note to ask her about it later.


	17. Tourism and pajama party-movie night!

The next morning, I crawled out of bed and went to take myself a quick shower. Taimi was still sleeping. The events of the previous evening came back making me smile. I can always handle myself no matter the situation. It was nice that Tim felt the need to come "rescue" me from that 70's porn producer looking dude. Then there was slow dancing with Tim. Being so close I got a good whiff of his intoxicating cologne. Tim's arms around me. I shivered in the shower even though I take pretty hot showers. 

When I left the bathroom, I found my sister sitting in the middle of her bed on her phone giggling. I rolled my eyes as I dug around for something to wear today. Black bondage pants with red stitching, a black tank with a stitched up heart going across the breasts, and black and red Converse hi-tops. Once I was dressed, I went to check my phone. Holy cow the notifications I had! Almost all of them were from **ONE** Facebook group. There was a new video from when we danced to _"Whenever, Wherever"_. Kirsi also posted some photos of Tim and I dancing as well as Austin and Taimi dancing. 

I think everyone except Eric liked the "dancing photos". Several of them made comments about how cute we looked with little smiley or winking emojis. I had to laugh at one of Tim's responses: _"No need to fawn all over me, fellas. *flips hair*"_ Taimi asked me why I was laughing but I was laughing so hard I couldn't tell her. Well hell. I have photos too! Not just from last night but from our bus party. I added the few photos I had from last night to an album that had been created. Seeing these pics brought a smile to my face. 

I created an album for our bus party and added all the pics (that I didn't mind the Oaks seeing) to it. All I could do was smile. Others started adding their own photos to that album as well and, to me, it just made the album all the more special. I wasn't the only one taking pics and it was really cool to see others' documentation of our fun night on the bus. Taimi asked me if I was ready to head downstairs to grab a bite to eat. It was kinda early, maybe around 7am or so, and we didn't see any of our people. 

She and I had a table to ourselves so we talked about what to do with our day. There were some tourist attractions I wanted to see. I pulled up Google on my phone as we waited our breakfast to arrive so we could search things to do. We were scrolling through when I excited shouted that I wanted to visit Paul Revere's House. My sister just laughed and said there was no reason to shout since she was sitting like a foot away from me. We scrolled a little more and she said she wanted to visit the New England Aquarium. I nodded in agreement as I slowly scrolled. We agreed we wanted to visit Old North Church as well. We also agreed to visit Faneuil Hall Marketplace. 

A few days after we hit the road, my sisters and I agreed to take as many touristy photos as we could since we figured this would be our only chance to get to see these places. Our food was finally brought right as Barry and Brent came downstairs. Kirsi was not far behind them. They greeted us warmly as they sat down at our table. Taimi and I had already started eating so I didn't feel the need to stop. A few minutes later, Austin and Adam joined us. The beatboxer-freak-of-nature still wouldn't look at us.

"Anyone have any plans for today?" Austin asked

"Taimi and I are making plans to visit Paul Revere's House, the New England Aquarium, Old North Church, and Faneuil Hall Marketplace." I stated with a smile

"Sounds exciting!" Barry replied, flashing me that beautiful smile of his

Taimi got to talking about other touristy places to visit while my phone dinged signaling a new notification. I was almost afraid to see what this notification was but I took my phone out to check it anyways. A few more pictures had been added to the bus party album so I scrolled through them. Several brought a smile to my face and I knew I was going to have to download this album onto my laptop so I'd have these awesome photos too. 

"Mornin' ladies! I see you had quite a good time last night!" Duane stated as he and Joe approached our table and waved the waitress over

"We sure did!" Kirsi chuckled

"What are you up to today?" Joe asked as the waitress finished moving a table over so we could all sit together

"Sight-seeing!" Taimi squealed happily

"Oh? Where are you going?" Duane inquired

We told him of the places we wanted to go today. He nodded in approval and said that we wouldn't be disappointed. Tomorrow night Home Free would be performing and I didn't want to miss their show. Duane asked the boys if they were going too. Barry said he didn't know if they'd have time since they had interviews most of the morning, then soundcheck, meet-and-greets, a photoshoot, and the show later tonight. Austin replied that he'd love to go and the quick glance he shot my sister was not lost on me. 

"Hey everyone!" Eric said as he and Zach made their way over with Luke

"Morning!" I replied, smiling at the trio who were dragging another table over

"Oh! The tailor will be here this morning to get everyone's measurements. He should be here in about an hour with his assistant." Luke told us

"Thank you so much, Luke. This will be so helpful." Kirsi stated with a huge smile

"I'm happy to do whatever I can. I think we're all looking forward to seeing the finished product." He grinned, earning head nods from everyone else

"Well, I'm about ¾ the way done with writing it. Another few days if I don't run into any bumps in the road, so to speak." I said

"Is there anything you need help with?" Duane asked

"There's not really anything anyone can do to help me." I shrugged as Rob, Chance, and Tim strolled in

"Morning, guys!" Austin greeted his band mates

"Hey." Tim said, glancing over at me

"Morning! How is everyone this beautiful morning?" Rob cheerfully asked

"The tailor will be here in about an hour to take everyone's measurements for us. Then we're talking about doing some sight-seeing." Taimi told the trio

"Who all is going?" Chance questioned

"Anyone who wants to, I guess. We're trying to get all the sight-seeing in that we can since we probably won't ever get the chance to see these places again." Kirsi replied, flashing him a sweet smile

"I'd love to go if you don't mind the company." Chance replied

"Me too!" Tim added in

Now that wasn't a surprise. Eric looked over at Tim and I swear it looked like he was jealous or something. Austin said he wanted to go too, as did Rob. Adam never said a word which was starting to concern me.

"I'd love to go too." Joe smiled at us

"Sweet! This is gonna be an amazing day if we can ever get it started!" I laughed making everyone else laugh too

*********************************************

After what felt like forever, everyone had their measurements taken and we had all the papers that the tailor had used. We had more measurements than I thought would be taken. Once everyone had their wallets, room keys, and cell phones, we headed out for our sight-seeing tourist day. All of Home Free, Adam included, all of the Oaks, and all three of us were going. I was really excited about just getting out to go sight-seeing and hanging out with these guys. 

I honestly don't think I'd ever felt more at ease with people other than my sisters. Our first stop was Paul Revere's House. We learned a bit of history and got some cool photos in the process. The small house offers insight into how homes looked in Revere's time. It's even filled with period pieces, including fine silver. Inside, history fans can admire the building's sweeping beams, spacious fireplaces and some original furnishings owned by the Revere family. It was really cool, to be honest. At least to me. And don't get me started on the jokes some of these guys were making!

Our next stop of the day was Old North Church. The church itself, which is officially named Christ Church, is filled with beautiful relics from the past, including North America's oldest set of change ringing bells and chandeliers brought in from England in the early 1700s. The pews have a long history as well; Pew No. 54 was reserved for the Revere family. Now, how cool was that?! In addition to the church's exhibits, you'll find restrooms, gardens and specialty shops on the property. Yes, we visited the gardens and the shops. Lots of pictures were taken as well. 

Stop number three was the New England Aquarium. Taimi was really excited about this and I think her enthusiasm amused the guys. At the center of the Aquarium was the Giant Ocean Tank. This was a four-story tank which included a coral reef habitat that houses more than 1,000 underwater creatures! They had a myriad of fascinating aquatic species which included green sea turtles, eels and barracuda. 

In other parts of the aquarium, there were exhibits dedicated to penguins, sea jellies and seadragons! Seadragons!!! We even got to check out the Shark and Ray Touch Tank which allows visitors to graze sharks and rays as they swim by. One of the coolest things, to me at least, was getting to watch a penguin and seal feeding. Yes, lots of pictures were taken here too. Oh man the jokes these guys made had my sisters and I in stitches!

Our last stop of the day, that I knew of at least, was Faneuil Hall Marketplace. It constituted four buildings – Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, North Market and South Market. The oldest being Faneuil Hall which was built in 1742 and now located on the Freedom Trail. Faneuil Hall has had a long and important history in Massachusetts politics. Samuel Adams once stood here to push for resistance against the British, and abolitionists and suffragists have stood on their soapboxes here. 

The marketplace has expanded to include more than 100 shops and restaurants. Some of the items sold at Faneuil Hall Marketplace seemed a bit overpriced. However, it was still a neat place to stroll through. We got some pretty great photos, too. By now it was nearly 5pm. We decided to call it a day and head back to the hotel. Richard was going to stay in his room for the evening and catch some baseball on TV. William Lee said he was going to go out and do some photography of Boston at evening and night. 

On the way through the lobby, me and my sisters stopped. What did we want to do on our last night in Boston? We'd be leaving after Home Free's show tomorrow night. There was a rack with different pamphlets on various things to do including the nightlife. Nothing appealed to us. 

"Hey, I have an idea." I stated after probably half an hour of trying to figure out our dilemma

"What?" Kirsi asked

"Grab some take out and have a movie night! Get food, drinks, get into our pj's and watch movies." I stated

"That sounds like a great idea! Let's go see what we have and figure out what we want to eat." Taimi grinned

I guess the Home Free fellas hadn't headed up to their rooms yet because they were still waiting on an elevator. They asked us if we figured out what we were gonna do for the evening so Taimi told them of our plans.

"That sounds like a lot of fun!" Chance stated with a grin

"So why are y'all heading up to your rooms?" Tim questioned

"We need to see what movies we have and figure out what we wanna eat." Kirsi laughed

"You know, we could get like five pizzas, several bottles of soda, and all of us could chill together watching movies." Austin was quick to say

"We're more than happy to share our movie night." Taimi replied making Kirsi and I look at one another

Everyone headed to mine and Taimi's room so we could decide on movies and what we wanted on pizzas. Kirsi said she was gonna go take a quick shower and slip into her pj's while we finalized plans. After some discussion, we decided on one pepperoni, two supremes, one bacon cheeseburger, and one cheese pizza. Two 2-liters of Dr. Pepper, one 2-liter of Coke, and one 2-liter of Root Beer. Austin also said he'd probably pick up a case of beer as well. Taimi and I were gonna give them money for food and drinks but they all refused making me frown at them. Austin and Adam left to get our provisions while everyone else went to "clean up" and change for our quiet evening.

I left my door cracked so people could come in as they were ready while I went to take a shower myself. It was kinda warm today and I knew I'd sweated some. Since I shaved while I showered this morning, I didn't need to do that again. Just wash my hair and body which meant it was a quick shower. My sleep set was a pair of shorts (kinda short but whatever) with a matching tank top. I took my jammies into the bathroom with me knowing that I'd left the door cracked. When I exited the bathroom, with my towel wrapped around my head, I found Adam was the first to arrive. I squeaked in surprise to find anyone in my room already!

He looked at me with surprise, probably because of my squeak, before looking away quickly. His hair was damp like he'd just gotten out of the shower too. He was wearing a pair of black Batman sleep pants and no shirt or shoes. He was a lot more toned than I realized! I smiled at the blond as I sat down on the edge of my bed. Bending forward, I unwrapped the towel so I could towel-dry my hair as best as I could. As I sat up a few minutes later, my hair went flying in all directions and I heard Adam chuckle. So, he was watching me towel-dry my hair but won't look me in the eye? It's strange and something I need to talk to my sisters about. 

"Hey hey!" I heard Tim's beautiful deep voice exclaim as he walked into my room

Red and white checkered pj bottoms, no shoes or socks, and no shirt. His hair was still damp too as if he'd just gotten out of the shower. I grinned up at him making him smile back. Slight beer-belly going on but I could over look that. He was still a very beautiful man, inside and out.

"I got a bag of ice figuring we'd probably need it." Chance said as he entered

"Cool. You can set it in the sink so it doesn't drip everywhere." I replied, giving the bass-baritone a warm smile

"Have we decided what movies to watch?" Tim questions

"I haven't even looked yet." I laughed, "Just hopped in the shower then was trying to dry my hair when everyone started to arrive."

"Whatcha got?" Chance asked

"Uh..... our selection is kinda small. All three of the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogies, 'Victor/Victoria' which is really funny, ' Undercover Brother', 'IT', 'Young Frankenstein', uh...." I trailed, "Oh yeah, we also have 'The Incredibles', 'Austin Powers: Goldmember', and 'South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut'. What sounds good?"

"I've never heard of 'Victor/Victoria'. I vote for that." Tim said, glancing at me

"Chance? Adam? Votes?" I asked as I got my laptop set up next to the tv

"That's fine with me." Chance stated

I plugged my HDMI cord into my laptop and then into the TV, "Adam?"

"Huh? Oh yeah. Sounds good." He stuttered

Chance and Tim looked at him curiously for a minute but then turned their attention back to whatever they were doing before. I slipped the DVD into my disc drive and got it ready to play. All we were waiting on was the food, drinks, and rest of our group. Rob and my sisters finally arrived. Kirsi said that Taimi had showered in her room after she was done because they were talking about some things. I greeted Rob cordially and had to chuckle at his silly Minions pj bottoms and matching t-shirt. 

I told the ones who'd just arrived which movie we were starting with. My door was still open which seemed to relieve poor Austin. Five very large pizzas, two double plastic bags with four 2-liters, and a case of beer. Perhaps someone should've gone with him to help carry stuff back! Rob asked if anyone had cups. Austin sighed making me laugh. Rob left to fetch his phone so he could call Luke to bring us some plastic cups. A few minutes later, Rob returned and said that it would be about ten minutes but we should have some cups.

"What are we watching? And do we have ice?" Austin asked

"Chance brought a bag of ice which is in the sink. We're gonna start off with a movie called 'Victor/Victoria'. James Garner, Julie Andrews, John Rhys-Davies. It's really funny." I stated

"Oh! I also asked Luke to bring some paper towels." Rob stated as I scooted back to sit in the middle of my bed

"Awesome. That'll be a big help, Rob. Thank you." Kirsi said, flashing the giant teddy-bear-of-a-man a warm smile

Tim sat down on my left and Adam moved around to sit on my right. Taimi was sitting in the middle of her bed with Austin sitting on her right and Chance sitting on the floor in front of her bed. Kirsi sat in the lone chair while Rob sat on the floor in between the beds. We were just chatting when Luke arrived. Rob got up to take the items we'd suggested as Luke looked around at all of us.

"Pajama party?" He asked with a laugh

"Movie night!" I retorted

"With pizza!" Tim added in

"And beer!" Austin added after that

"In your pajamas?" Luke questioned, raising his eyebrow

"Yeah....why not?" I said, stretching my legs out in front me and leaning back on my hands

"No reason. You kids have fun." Luke said, emphasizing the word 'kids'

"Well, I guess we can dig into the pizza." Rob stated as he began opening up the pizza boxes

"I'll get some ice into cups." Chance said as he got up 

I looked over to see Taimi and Austin were very close together and talking quietly. Then I, for some unknown reason, looked down at Adam. He seemed to be staring at my leg. Or at least some of the tattoos on my leg. There was a dragon and that's the one he seemed to be really focusing on.

"I got that one about three years ago. One of the few tats that aren't....." I said before stopping myself

The blond beat-boxer quickly looked up at me and I could swear he was blushing.

"Do you have any tats?" I asked, keeping my voice soft and non-threatening

He just shook his head no making me smile.

"Yeah, they're not for everyone. Depending on where you get them, they can hurt like a sumbish. I'm covered from the back of my neck to my ankles." I chuckled

He smiled at me.

"What does everyone want to drink?" Chance asked

"Dr.Pepper!" Me and both my sisters called out at the same time

Everyone stopped what they were doing and just looked around at us. Then they burst out laughing. Even Adam.

"I have more than one dragon. There's actually a large lion on my back." I told the blond man who seemed to be listening intently to me

"Really? Can I see?" Tim stated

I cautiously lifted up my shirt so that nothing inappropriate was shown. My breath caught in my throat when I felt Tim's almost feather-light touch on my back.

"Oh wow. These are..... these are just beautiful." Tim quietly said

"Thanks." I said as I slid my shirt back down, "You have any tats?"

"Nope." Tim replied

"Hey sis, whatcha want?" Kirsi asked

"One pepperoni, one supreme. Please." I replied with a grin

Once everyone had their pizza and a drink, we all got settled back in our places. Kirsi got the movie started so the room quieted down as people ate and watched the movie. The three of us were sitting Indian-style on my bed so our knees were all touching. It didn't bother me at all. Sheesh, we're all adults here, right? After a while, Tim leaned over and whispered _"Want another slice?"_. The unexpected hot breath on my ear made me shiver subconsciously. Adam must've felt it because he looked over at me. I turned my head, and blushed since our lips were nearly touching, whispered back _"Pepperoni"_. He nodded silently before he got up to get another slice for us both. 

He handed it to me after he got resettled on the bed, our fingers touching ever so slightly as he did. I smiled at him in a silent 'thanks' before trying to turn my attention back to the movie. Everyone seemed to like the movie because they were all laughing. How easily did we slip into such a friendship with these five men? Once I'd eaten, I moved to lay down on my stomach.


	18. Public episode

The Home Free guys were spending more and more time on our bus. My sisters didn't mind but it was a bit of a distraction for me. Not because I was finding myself insanely attracted to Tim but because they always kept us laughing. Yes, that's the reason I'm going to stick with ***wink,wink***. That made it hard to focus on the story I was writing and what I needed to do with it. Duane had pulled me aside before dinner one evening and asked about me and Tim. Honestly, I didn't even know what to tell him. Tim and I were just friends. Right?

So we were bustling down the road one day on the way to a venue two days' out when my phone rang. My sisters and I helped tutor other students since we were so far ahead of everyone. We liked to help if we could. I excused myself as I answered the phone.

"Hello?" 

_"Hey Lilja. Sorry to bother you. I was wondering if you had some time and could help me."_ Shannon asked

"Sure, hun. Let me get my laptop and I'll see what I can do!" I smiled even though she couldn't see it

Tim and Adam were both watching me but I tried to put that at the back of my mind. Rob, Kirsi, Taimi, Chance, and Austin were all playing cards so I wondered what Tim and Adam were doing. Not that it was any of my business! Once I had my laptop, I plopped down on the couch.

"Ok, I'm ready. Whatcha need help with?" I stated, glancing over at where Tim and Adam were sitting

_"Well, I'm having hell with this damned website again. Jukebox is working great when the site isn't being weird."_ Shannon explained

"Well, it's almost always a coding issue. Have you gone back through and looked at your coding?" I asked, being as professional as I could with two hot dudes sitting across from me staring at me

_"Yeah several times. This is driving me crazy!"_ She sighed

I knew her frustration well! "I need to ask a favor. In order to see what's going on, I need to see the coding. Since we're hundreds of miles apart, I need to remotely access your computer. Are you cool with this?"

_"If it'll get this shit fixed, do whatever you want!"_ Shannon laughed

"When you see your laptop's webcam light blinking, that means I've accessed your computer. What I'm gonna do is copy all the coding you've already done into a Word file and save it. Then I'll go through and see if I can find the problem. We may have to tweak some coding here and there and if we do, I'll make another Word file." I explain

_"You are such a life saver! Thank you so much. Do I need to do anything?"_

"Not right now. Let me get the coding copied and pasted. You know you're more than welcome. We are always happy to help fellow students." I replied with a smile

So I went into her project and copied every bit of coding she had. After I opened up Microsoft Word, I pasted what I'd just copied into it. The two men sitting across from me were still staring. Shannon stayed on the line as I went through her coding.

_"I'm so sorry for causing trouble. Coding irritates me."_ She chuckled

"It's ok. Coding can be really rewarding if it works and when it doesn't it can be so frustrating you wanna tear your hair out. Trust me, I know!" I laughed making the two men across from me smile too

_"I really hope it's something simple that I just keep over-looking."_ Shannon stated with a sigh, _"This stuff really makes me feel stupid sometimes."_

"Sometimes you're so emotionally invested in it that you miss the most obvious of things." I started out making every single person on our bus quit what they were doing and look over at me, "I can't tell you how often I've had to have others look over my coding just to discover it was something simple. Something that was added that shouldn't have been, something not added that should have been, or, and this really makes me feel stupid, coding in the wrong damned place."

Feeling eyes on me, I looked up. Everyone was still staring at me.

"What?" I questioned the group

Several people smiled like I'd had an epiphany and didn't realize it. Taimi had her eyebrow cocked at me and Kirsi was smirking.

"Maybe you should think about that statement." Rob smiled like he knew something I didn't

_"Is something wrong?"_ Shannon questioned, bringing me back to what I was doing

"Just weirdos on my bus." I stated as I scanned some coding that I hadn't gotten to yet, "A-ha! I think I know what you're messing up. Let me copy this into a new Word document and change it and we'll see if I'm right."

I did as I told her I was then copied the "new" coding into her program. It worked perfectly and her delighted squeals made me laugh. She thanked me over and over making me smile. I told her she could delete the two Word documents and continue her project. She thanked me again before we hung up. Tim and Adam were still staring at me although when I looked over to them, Tim quickly looked away. If I didn't know any better, I could have sworn he was blushing!

**************************************

We were at a venue where the Oaks were playing. Home Free were actually going to watch the show with us so we were all just hanging around at the front of the stage like dorks. They weren't too many songs into their 2 ½ hour set when the loud sound of thunder could be heard. My ears caught it and then suddenly I heard wind. Luke, Home Free's manager, came over and said we had some severe thunderstorms coming in but it shouldn't affect the show any. I looked over to my sisters and I could feel myself beginning to have "an attack".

Another loud clasp of thunder and I felt myself beginning to shake. All I could do was say _"Oh God no, not now....please not now"_. The howling wind was too much for me so I bolted back to the dressing room. My anxiety sky-rocketed, I could feel my whole body begin to tense up, and I knew the flashbacks were coming. Tears were already stinging my eyes. That intense fear that I felt when I was out in the tornado hit me full force and I was, once again, terrified I was going to die. 

"Sis?" Taimi calmly stated

"Make it stop. Please make it stop." I cried

"What's wrong?" I vaguely heard Rob's soothing voice say

"Oh no. Not now." Kirsi stated

"Huh? What's going on?" Austin asked

_"Make it stop...... please make it stop...."_ I whispered, sobs beginning to wrack my body

Someone else said something but in my mind's eye I was eight years old again, tied to a tree in our front yard. I saw our "mother" standing by the living room window laughing at me. The wind was blowing so hard things were flying through the air. Other kids' toys, bikes, trash cans. Before long the wind picked up and there were cars and trucks flying around too. I was so scared, I was crying hysterically begging to be let back in the house. She just shook her head no. 

The sky got so dark it felt like it was almost night time. Pieces of wood, like pieces of fencing, bits of tree, etc started flying around. As a matter of fact, a piece of a neighbor's fence came flying at me making me scream in terror. If I had been an inch to the left it wouldn't have pierced my flesh. It effectively skewered me to the tree. I screamed in pain as the tears continued rolling down my face. The pain was almost too much for my little body and mind to take. A kids' bike came flying around and hit me in the head which made me scream in pain again.

"Lilja, you're not back there anymore. We're in a venue somewhere in Kentucky and the Oak Ridge Boys are rocking the stage right now. Can you hear what song they're singing?" I suddenly heard Kirsi's voice coming through the nightmare I had somehow lived through

I was still crying and couldn't really speak. My vision was blurred by my mind's eye and I still saw myself way back when. 

"Sis, what song are the Oak Ridge Boys singing right now?" Kirsi asked me again, "Can someone open the door please?"

I shook my head no. At least I think. The sky was changing. I didn't feel the wind any longer. The house wasn't there. I was hearing a weird low sound in my left ear.

"Lilja, what song are the Oaks singing on stage right now?"

I could hear the muffled sounds of people talking quietly. The smell of blood had disappeared. The vision of my mother standing at the window looking at me and laughing disappeared. Loud cheers and screams could be heard. A familiar song hit my ears.

"Leaving Louisiana?" I stated, straining my ears

"Very good! Who are we hanging out with right now?" Kirsi asked

"What's going on? Is she ok?" I heard a deep-ish voice ask 

"Shinedown."

"Who else?" Kirsi questioned me

"What about Shinedown?" I heard Zach ask

"Guys, please shush. Thanks." Kirsi stated, "Who else are we hanging out with?"

I shrugged indifferently as I continued to cry.

"Come on. You know who we're hanging out with. They always get us laughing. Who are we hanging out with?" Kirsi coaxed

"Home...... Free?" I more asked than stated

"Very good! Very good. Can you look at me?" I heard my sister ask

I blinked a few times as my vision slowly returned to me. There was my sister kneeling in front of me with a smile on her face. Tears were still streaking down mine and suddenly I realized there was a room full of people who had witnessed what happened to me. I hung my head in shame, completely embarrassed by it. This showed them how weak I was, didn't it?

"Can someone bring her some water, please?" Taimi asked, "And some napkins."

"Sure thing." Jake stated

"Take some deep breaths. Slow. In. Out." Kirsi said making sure I was following along, "Very good. In. Out. Ok, keep doing that for a couple minutes. Here's some water. You need to drink."

"Is she ok? What happened?" Brent asked

"Can I go lay down?" I meekly asked

"She sounds so childlike right now. Can we do anything for her?" Adam asked

"In a minute. Drink your water first. Do you have a headache?" Kirsi asked me

I think he was talking to Taimi, "Not really. Just...... let Kirsi and I.....that sounds so....I didn't...."

"It's ok. If there's anything we can do, for any of you, please, please, please let us know!" He replied

I nodded my head yes as I tipped my water bottle up. The cool liquid slid down my throat and made my dry mouth feel better. Kirsi wiped my face as I looked down at the floor. Someone handed her two pills and she handed them to me. Once I'd taken the headache medicine and had finished my bottle of water, Kirsi said I could head back to our bus to lay down. I was so tired! It felt like I'd just run a 20k marathon! 

"Come on, I'll help you back to the bus." Kirsi said

"I can do that. You ladies stay here and enjoy the rest of the show." Tim quickly piped up

"Are you sure? She can get a little.... Belligerent.....after one of these attacks." Kirsi stated

"Yeah. I'm a Texas boy, I can handle whatever happens." He stated

"If you're sure. Call one of us if you need help or anything, OK?" Kirsi stated, a bit unsure of things

Kirsi helped me stand up but I plopped back down. My legs felt like rubber and I knew this was going to take a while to get to where I could lay down. _"I got this"_ I heard Tim state with a chuckle. He helped Kirsi get me back on my feet then he scooped me up bridal style. Jim said he'd go with us so that he could open doors and such. All I could do was lean against Tim's shoulder and close my eyes. Before I knew it, we'd made it to our bus. Tim laid me down on one of the couches while Jim went to get a blanket for me.

I was fighting fatigue, anxiety, dizziness, and like the "walls were caving in on me". Tears were still falling so Tim sat down in front of the couch, cross legged, and began singing to me. I was so tired but I looked up to look at him. Our eyes met and he smiled as he sang. His voice was so low and deep and yet he could hit some pretty high notes too. My eyes began drooping but I just wanted to watch him as he sang. Jim said he was going to go let my sisters know that I was on the bus and settled and safe. It was just Tim and I now on our bus. As hard as I tried, I couldn't stay awake and eventually I drifted off to sleep with Tim singing to me.

The next morning I woke up and felt so tired like I'd been up for three days'. Something felt odd. I was laying on my stomach on the couch in the front lounge. My arm was draped over something warm and moving. Cautiously opening my eyes, I realized Tim was sitting on the floor with his head leaned back on the edge of the couch and his legs stretched out in front of him. His ankles were crossed. He was holding my hand in his. The poor boy couldn't be comfortable down there!

"Morning, sweetie. How are you feeling?" I heard Rob ask

I looked around and found all the Home Free guys were on our bus. It was then that I realized the bus was moving. I wanted to sit up but I really didn't have the energy to move.

"Ugh." I stated

Apparently my noise was enough to rouse Tim from his slumber. He moved into a more sitting position so he could turn around and check on me. The poor guy looked like hell. It was my fault, too, and I felt really bad.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Tim quietly asked me

"Ugh." Was all I stated

"She's probably really, really tired. Most likely she'll just nap most of the day or lay around watching movies." Taimi explained

"We'll be stopping for breakfast in like 20 minutes, guys." Chance told us

"Thanks man." Tim said, never taking his eyes off me

I just laid there on my stomach looking at Tim. He was sitting in the same position he was last night when he was singing to me and staring right back at me. There was so much emotion in his eyes. Fear, worry, and something else I couldn't define. I guess I'd closed my eyes again because I felt myself being gently shaken awake. Opening my eyes, there was Tim smiling at me. He said we'd stopped for breakfast. Taimi said I needed to get off the bus so I could get something to eat.

Tim helped me off the couch and kept an arm around my waist as we slowly walked into the IHOP. Barry was looking at me worriedly but I tried to give him a reassuring smile. We found a booth not too far from the door so Tim helped me slide into it before sliding in next to me. It was one of those big booths so four people on each side actually fit. Austin was sitting next to Tim with Taimi sitting on his other side. Adam was in front of me, Rob next to him, Kirsi next to Rob and Chance on the outside in front of Taimi.

"Can you tell us what that was last night? You had us all freaking out and worried." Rob asked softly, looking down at me

I swallowed but couldn't really talk. Tim patted my leg under the table.

"She... that storm sent her into a PTSD episode. She was having severe flashbacks." Kirsi explained carefully, "Thank you so much, Tim, for staying with her until she fell asleep. You didn't need to stay all night. We could've handled it."

"Do you remember what happened last night, Lilja?" Taimi asked, looking around the two men

I shook my head no with a frown.

"Taimi and I came back to the bus after the Oaks' set. Tim was sitting in front of the couch singing to you. You'd already fallen asleep but each time he tried to get up, you'd start to cry and beg him not to leave." Kirsi explained, shooting me a sympathetic look

I darted my eyes to the table completely, and utterly, embarrassed by that fact. Tim draped his arm around my shoulder in a comforting manner.

"She must feel really comfortable with him, then." Luke said as he joined the conversation to see how I was doing, "Which if I understand PTSD and what-not, that's a very good thing."

"Yes it is. Normally after an episode like that, she'd have some really bad nightmares. As far as I know, she didn't last night." Kirsi replied, shooting Tim a warm smile

"What caused her to have PTSD?" Austin asked, "And why isn't she talking today?"

"I'd rather not say right now what caused it. Not really talking is just part of the after effects of an episode. Like we said earlier, she'll mostly sleep or just lay there watching movies because she's so exhausted." Kirsi replied

"Most people who have severe PTSD attacks.... It's emotionally and physically draining." Luke said, "And the reason I know this, ladies, is because I did a lot of research on PTSD for my uncle Jack."

"What should she eat?" Tim quietly asked as I leaned my head on his shoulder

"Pancakes would probably be best." Luke replied earning head nods from my sisters

Taimi ordered for me as I sat there in silence trying to keep my eyes open. All I really wanted to do was just lay back down and go back to sleep. Tim sat there with me, with his arm draped around me, and hummed as everyone else chatted about random things. Hearing their laughter made me smile slightly. Adam seemed to be keeping an eye on me and I was sure it was just because of last night. By the time our food finally arrived, I was half asleep again! 

"Sweetie? Lilja, darling, you gotta wake up." Tim's deep voice said, penetrating my sleepiness, "Food is here. You need to eat."

"We have hell trying to get her to eat after an episode. She's so exhausted, she has like zero energy to do the simplest things." Kirsi said as she watched my half-hearted attempt at drizzling syrup on my pancakes, "It's heartbreaking. She's always looking after us and we can't do anything to help her after these episodes."

"Well maybe Tim can get her to eat." Rob said

I hated it. It made me feel like a child because I could barely cut up pancakes to eat. Each time I quit eating, Tim would urge me to "eat just a little more". It got to me because a—it was taking time away from him to eat and b—he actually cared enough to take the time to make sure I ate properly. Once I'd gotten about ¾ of my pancakes eaten, he quit bothering me about eating.

"Damn, Tim. That's the most she's ever eaten after an episode!" Kirsi exclaimed, making Taimi look down at my plate

"Tim, the miracle man!" Taimi joked

"If you two will scoot out, I'll help her back to your bus." Tim said as he grabbed my hand

Once I shakily stood up, he slid his arm around my waist to help keep me steady. I stumbled once on our walk to the bus and if he hadn't have had a hold of me, I'd have fell flat on my face. _"Easy there, doll. I gotcha!"_ he said making me smile. We finally made it to the bus and he helped me onto it. He was such a gentleman, he even helped me get settled in my bunk. He helped get a movie going and was about to stand up and shut my curtain when I reached out for his hand.

"Lilja? You ok?" He asked, kneeling by my bed again

I nodded towards my bunk so he leaned in really close. I leaned up and kissed his cheek. It was the easiest way for me to thank him. Those beautiful chocolate eyes twinkled as he smiled at me. He leaned down and kissed my forehead affectionately before telling me _"You're more than welcome"_. My eyes were very heavy but I watched as he stood up the shut my curtain. I was out within minutes.


	19. Filming

A/N: The "film" parts are centered and italicized.

 

A week later and we were finally able to start filming. I wasn't quite finished tweaking the story but we had enough that would could begin filming some things. Kirsi and Taimi had been hard at work creating the costumes for everyone but not all of them were ready. The four every day costumes were done for all of the Oaks and two for Joe and Richard's wives so we started with filming some of their scenes. You want to talk about nerve-wracking? "Telling" living legends what to do is exactly that!

The first scene of our project that we shot was of William Lee sitting in his cabin painting. He was the preacher for our little village so I thought that his talent with painting would make an excellent addition to the film and to showcase. Being a man of God, we thought it would make sense for him to paint since he should be able to see the beauty of the world. If that made sense. We had a "shack" created that we could put together easily (almost like Lincoln logs or legos, how you put them together since we had to put it together then break it down until we needed to use it again). This would basically be the same shack that we used for everyone.

"Oh my gosh! You guys look amazing!" Kirsi said as the Oaks' approached us in their costumes

"Everything fit ok? Nothing too tight or too loose?" Taimi asked

"Everything fits perfectly! You ladies did a wonderful job with the costumes. These really look professionally made." Duane replied with a bright smile

"Where are we filming?" Joe asked

"Well, we're gonna start out with Preacher, here. It shouldn't take but maybe ten to fifteen minutes to get this part done." Kirsi replied as the two older ladies walked up

"You look so good! Thank you so much for being a part of this." Taimi said, smiling warmly at both women

"Thank you for letting us be a part of it!" Mary, Joe's wife, said returning our smiles

While the Oaks' had been getting into costume, we got to work setting up the one-room shack that was supposed to be the Preachers. We had a small-ish trailer behind our amazing bus for these supplies and other stuff for our project. We'd set up a green screen at an angle (/---\ something like that except the top was flush with the other sides instead of in the middle) and put the shack in the middle of it. We couldn't get out to actual woods so we had to make do with what we had. Once the three of us and William were inside, we got down to business.

"Ok, William. All you need to do is sit by the fire and paint. We'll be walking around you just filming it. Pretend we're not here. This shouldn't take too long." I stated, letting go of the breath I didn't know I was holding

We had gotten our cameras set up to download whatever video we took straight to our laptops. He smiled at us as he sat down at the easel he'd let us "borrow" for this scene as well as the half-finished painting he had started. We let him get his "work station", if you will, set up for painting before beginning our filming. I was just to walk slowly in circles around him a few times. Kirsi would be focusing on his brush strokes, paints, and stuff like that. Taimi would be taking shots from above and other weird angles.

As we promised, we got all the footage we needed in about fifteen minutes. He actually seemed surprised when we said we were done! I went to shake his hand but he pulled me into a tight hug. We needed to "expand" the one-room shack and make it a two-room shack for Joe and his wife. William Lee left us so we could get down to business and get things re-arranged and everything. Not only were we having to physically expand the shack but we had to re-arrange it so that it looked like a completely different residence. We also took a short video and photos of each "set" so that when we needed to recreate it for different scenes with those characters, we had a reference point.

I left the little shack and found all the Home Free guys and Shinedown had arrived and were just watching us work. It was a little unnerving to be honest! Once the shack had been completed, we were ready to start filming again. We called for Joe and Mary who both seemed excited about this. William Lee, to my surprise, was still hanging around in his costume.

"Okie dokie folks. Mary, you're making dinner while he sits at the table after a long day in the field. You're telling him things you'd heard while in town earlier in the day." Kirsi said as politely as she could

Mary moved to the stove where we'd set up a pot with water and some fake vegetables and seasonings. Joe sat down at the small kitchen table. Once they were both ready we got to filming.

_"You'll never guess who I ran into in town today!"_

_"Who?"_

_"Lily! You know, Richard's daughter? Cute little thing she's grown up to be. Doesn't seem too happy in her marriage from what I've been hearing."_

_"Well her husband doesn't seem......there's just something about that kid that rubs me the wrong way." Joe replied, looking over at his wife and smiling_

_"I feel for the poor thing." Mary said as she stirred the pot of stew_

_"I was hearing some rumors that there is some sexual tension in their home. He's been looking at other women, too." Joe said_

_"Oh my." Mary frowned as she turned to look at her loving husband_

_"That's not even the worst of it, if the rumors are to be believed. He looks more to her as a slave. Just there to cook, take care of the home, be his sexual partner, and there's tension about her not conceiving yet."_

_"The poor thing must be so stressed if that's true." Mary said before walking over and draping an arm around Joe, "Good thing I snagged myself a decent, hard-working, loving man!"_

"Ok guys! That was great! One shot. Let us check our footage. We may not need to film this again!" Kirsi said with a smile

It definitely helped that their chat was so easy between them. Not forced like they didn't like one another or had no chemistry. Who's idea was it for their wives to be a part of this? Because we definitely need to thank them! Kirsi was satisfied with what we'd gotten so we thanked them both who pulled us into hugs. Richard was a banker so he had a nice suit instead of what almost everyone else was wearing. 

Since we had a two-room shack prepared, Kirsi thought it would be a good idea to go ahead and begin filming some of mine and Tim's love scenes. I nearly choked making both my sisters laugh. She said she was gonna go let Tim know so he could change into his costume while Taimi and I changed the "set" up. All I could think about was what Tim and I were about to be doing. Yes, it's just for a movie. It's not real, it's only "pretend". But the thought of him kissing me, touching me, was just..... it was almost too much to take!

Kirsi came back and helped finish changing the one room up. He finally arrived and he, too, looked a bit nervous. Taimi smacked herself and said that I needed to go get into costume. I chuckled nervously before darting out of the shack. Everyone was still there chatting quietly. I boarded our bus and changed as quickly as I could. As I did, I began thinking of Tim's soft looking lips. With a deep breath, I left our bus and headed back into the shack. 

"Ok, Lilja and Tim. Remember, you're in love and this is taboo. Take however long you need to prepare." Kirsi stated as I was thumbing through the script

This was what was making me nervous. The love scenes. Kissing Tim. Being hugged, caressed, and kissed on by Tim. Everyone had been so professional and awesome that our filming, up to this point, didn't seem like work. This was the first time that I was actually freaking out and nervous about filming! Taimi came over to check on me and make sure I was "presentable" for the scene. She whispered that I looked great, this was just a part of the story, and that there would basically just be us four here for this filming.

"Lilja? Are you ready?" Kirsi asked

I took a deep breath then turned to my sister, who was standing with Tim, and smiled. We'd already talked about these scenes and how they should go. Kirsi and Taimi moved us where they wanted us before we started shooting the scenes.

_"Lily." Tim said, grabbing my hands in his_

_"Tim..... we.... I mean if Zach finds out...."_

_"Don't worry about Zach. He's busy setting traps today." He said as he pulled me into his arms_

_I rested my hands on his chest. The next thing that was to happen was he was to kiss me. We stood there for a minute just staring into one another's eyes. We'd done that quite a bit. This was just for our project. Right? Suddenly it was like he remembered what we were supposed to be doing._

_He crashed his lips to mine. My character was expected to act surprised then relax into it. I don't think I had to fake that! I ran my hands up his arms and around his neck while he snaked both arms around my waist._

We stood there kissing for a minute before Kirsi said 'cut'. We pulled away and I'm pretty sure I was blushing. Damn was that man a great kisser!

"That was excellent guys! We may not need to film this again! Come see what you think!" She said as she showed us that bit of film on her laptop

"Oh wow. That looks amazing. Now if we can get all the love scenes shot in one take we'll be doing great today!" Taimi laughed

"Now it's the rest of the scenes. Remember, this is a two room shack and the bedroom isn't very big. Your characters go from that awkward first kiss to, well, going all the way. We're not going to be actually filming all that, but we'll be filming enough to let people know what they are doing." Kirsi explained

I took a deep breath. This was it!

"Ok. What exactly do you want me to do?" Tim questioned

"You need to take off your belt and shoulder holster and have them dangling off one of the chairs. Then pick her up bridal style and carry her into the bedroom and shut the door. We'll stop filming after that and get set up for the next scene." Kirsi explained

"You got, boss lady!" Tim stated with a salute making us all laugh

I watched, "off camera", as Tim slid his belt and shoulder holster off and hung it up on the back of one of the dining table chairs. He ran his hand through this beautiful hair before Kirsi called 'cut'. She was looking over the footage she'd just taken and seemed to like it. With a smile, she told me I needed to get into position for the next shot. I moved to where my sisters wanted me to stand and waited for Tim. Taimi reiterated that he was to pick me up bridal style then walk us, cautiously, to the bedroom. 

He needed to shut the door quickly. Tim nodded in understanding as he moved to stand in front of me. Kirsi said I needed to wrap my arms around his neck after he picks me up and that I should look surprised when he does. Now I was getting really nervous! Kirsi winked at me before telling us to 'hit it'.

_He scooped me up in fell swoop and my shocked expression was not fake! He was a lot stronger than I thought he was! We never broke eye contact the whole time. A few seconds after we entered the bedroom, he shut the door with his foot._

"Cut!" Kirsi yelled so that we could hear her

He set me down carefully down on the ground so we could go back into the other "room". Kirsi was smiling as we entered. She wanted us to do it again because Taimi was adjusting the lighting angles slightly. I nodded silently as I looked up at Tim. My sister finally said she was ready to try it again so Tim and I got back to where we had been standing for the first of these shots.

_He scooped me up in fell swoop, once again, and I did my best to show a shocked expression. I hoped he'd be able to pick me up a few more times if that's what was needed! We never broke eye contact this time either. About ten seconds after we entered the bedroom, he shut the door with his foot. He didn't put me down, just held me in his arms, bridal style._

We heard 'cut' so he finally set me back on the floor. Taimi and Kirsi were looking over the footage they'd just taken and both were smiling. Kirsi said they wouldn't have to get any more shots of this so we could move to the next parts. I sighed with relief until it hit me that as we went on, it would be getting more and more "intimate".

"Ok, now we're getting into the fun stuff. You need take her shoes off. Slow and sensual like, ok?" Kirsi explained making me swallow

"She's going to need to be placed on the bed so you'll have to pick her up again and then lay her down." Taimi added

_Tim scooped me up bridal style and stood in front of the door. We were staring into one another's eyes as he walked to the bed and, as gently as he could, laid me down on it. He took my right leg and rested my ankle in the crook of his arm while he unlaced my boot. Once it was unlaced enough, he slid the shoe off my foot and threw it to the floor. All that could be heard was the 'thud' of my boot hitting the floor. His eyes never left mine. He repeated the process with my other boot._

"Ok, excellent guys! This is really good. Let me check the footage really quick." Kirsi stated with a smile

Tim and I seemed frozen where we were. I really don't know how porn stars do this! It's not like anything naughty was going to be shown or anything. The point was to make it known that these two people were having an affair. But at the same time, it felt really odd to be this intimate with people watching and knowing it was being filmed too!

"You guys are really making this easy for us! Lilja, you need to help him get out of his shirt. Sit up, pull him close, then start undoing his shirt, ok?" Kirsi exclaimed

When the hell did it get so hard to breath?! She told us to 'hit it' and I thought I was gonna pass out.

_Swallowing the lump that had somehow formed in my throat, I sat up. Staring into his beautiful chocolate eyes, I reached out and grabbed his hands to pull him closer to the bed. With a shy smile, I began unbuttoning the dirty white cotton shirt he was wearing. I think he swallowed a lump too because he was looking very nervous. Or something. With a deep breath, I pulled his shirt out from being tucked into his pants and slowly slipped it off his shoulders. It fell to the floor unceremoniously._

"Cut! Let me check the footage and we'll go from there." Kirsi stated

I don't know about him but I was starting to seriously have a hard time breathing! Maybe it was the intense stare. Maybe it was because he was standing in front of me shirtless. This was, after all, the first time I'd actually seen him shirtless. My two sisters talked quietly amongst themselves for a few minutes and I was starting to want to strangle them both. 

"Alrighty guys. Now it's gonna start getting a wee bit complicated. Tim, you need to push her back down on the bed then sort of crawl over to her. Remember, this is the first time you've allowed yourselves to succumb to this desire." Kirsi stated, "Ok, guys..... hit it!"

_Tim grinned at me before gingerly pushing me down on the bed. I watched as he slowly climbed onto the bed (once again, never breaking eye contact) and then crawling up the bed. He pushed my legs apart with his right knee. My breath caught in my throat momentarily. I could see that even his breath was getting a bit...... he was having a hard time breathing too and it wasn't because we were stuck in this itty bitty room!_

"Hold on guys! I need to readjust this one camera. Just stay in that position and I'll get it fixed as quickly as I can." Taimi stated

She moved to stand on the edge of the bed to my left as she worked with a small camera that I didn't realize was dangling from the ceiling. I blushed when I realized the position we were in. He was hovering over me, situated in between my legs. Yeah, we were still for the most part fully dressed but we were in a very "compromising" position. Very intimate. 

"Sorry about that. Let me make sure it's where I need it to be." Taimi said as she climbed off the bed to check, "Ok, I think we're good to go!"

"Alright Tim. Move some of her hair around. Remember you guys have some dialogue now. You're hot and bothered. There's still a chance her husband could come home early." Kirsi explained, "Oh, the end of this shot, you'll move her right leg so it's sitting on your hip. Aaaaand...... hit it!"

_Tim moved my hair so he could see my face better. He stared into my eyes._

_"Tim, I don't know...." Breath catching in my throat, "What if Zach comes home early?"_

_"Shhh. Don't worry about him." Tim said before glancing down at my lips, "I love you, Lily."_

_I swallowed before pulling him down for a heated kiss. Suddenly I felt Tim's "little" (I say little but what I felt told me he wasn't very 'little' at all!) problem pressing into my leg. I didn't know what to think about that as we kissed. He pulled out of our kiss and I noticed his eyes had gotten a little bit darker (was that even possible?!). Was he....was he really...._

_"Tim......" I said with a shaky breath that didn't have to be faked, "....I....I love you too."_

_He smiled at me before crashing his lips to mine again. As we were kissing, he was to move my right leg and rest it on his hip. He had to move my long skirt but that was planned. His soft hand running up and down my leg made me shiver. Finally, my sister said 'cut'._

"You guys are doing great! Really fantastic acting." Kirsi said as she was looking over the footage that had been shot.

As we laid there, I realized that Tim wasn't the only one whose body was reacting to our "acting", if you know what I mean! He was getting a bit tired of holding himself propped up so he just let his full weight on me. I squeaked then giggled. Kirsi finally said that things were going great.

"So, uh, how 'bout them Cowboys!?" I nervously and quietly said trying to ease the tension that had built up

His soft laughter made my whole body shake. Probably because his whole body weight was on me!

"Ok, I need to set up one more camera then we can continue filming. This is really great guys. You're doing wonderful." Taimi stated

Tim's little problem wasn't going away. Surely he's noticed. Is that why he hasn't said one word to me? I turned my head and found myself nuzzling his neck. Whoops! 

"Alrighty guys. We're ready, I think. Remember, you're madly, passionately in love. This is the first time you've been able to be together." Kirsi reminded us

Like we needed to be reminded of that!

"Tim, you'll need to unbutton the top of her dress next, OK? Passion and love." Kirsi stated before telling us to 'hit it'

He sat up and moved so that he was sitting on my legs. I watched as he began to unbutton the top of my dress. As a matter of fact, I was so focused on what Tim was doing that I didn't notice Adam and Rob had entered the room.

_He unbuttoned my dress just enough to expose my chest (but not enough that my boobs were all out on display). In one swift movement, he leaned down and began kissing my chest and neck. It felt good, probably because I'd been painfully celibate for nearly 8 years, and instinctively I closed my eyes and just enjoyed the feeling. My left hand wound up tangling itself in Tim's long brown hair._

_Once again, our breathing began to get a little ragged. It took everything I had not to buck up into him! He trailed kisses all over my chest then up to my neck, and finally back to my lips. My right hand was resting on his back and trying to pull him as close to me as humanly possible. He moved my right leg so it was sitting on his hip again where he could more easily run his hand up and down it. The world was slipping away as he and I began to get lost in one another._

"Good job guys! I think we've got what we need for now." Kirsi stated bringing us both out of whatever trance we'd been in

"Uh, thanks." I mumbled quietly, avoiding look at him

"Alright this all looks good. I think we're done with the shack for the day. Now we gotta get the bank set up." Taimi frowned

"Need some help with that?" I suddenly heard Rob say

Tim and I both looked over and discovered both he and Adam were now there watching us. I'm not sure which one of us blushed more, Tim or me! The tall brunette bass singer slid off me very carefully. I sat up to "redress" myself. Taimi threw my boots at me as Tim picked his shirt up off the floor. I tried to make it seem like I wasn't watching him. Kirsi ushered everyone out so they could start getting the bank pieces out of our trailer. 

I wanted to say something to Tim but was at a complete loss as to what on Earth that could be. Thanks for turning me on? I'm sorry we couldn't finish this? You're bigger than my ex? Nothing I wanted to say or thought I wanted to say would be appropriate. My whole body was tingling from this. Truth be told, it had been closer to eight years since I'd had sex because it was few months before I broke up with Chuck since we'd last done the deed.


	20. "The Talk"

We were at a bar just hanging out with Shinedown and Home Free on one of their nights off about a week or two later. The Oaks actually had the night off too but didn't want to come out with us "youngins", as William Lee called us. We were playing pool, having some laughs, and loving the stories we were being told by these guys. Each time a slow song came on, all three of us were asked to dance by someone in our group. I didn't think anything of it. We were all just friends hanging out. Right? 

As much as I hated to admit it to myself, I really liked it when Tim and I were dancing. It just felt....right. Natural. Although I loved dancing with everyone, with Tim it felt different. Since our filming of the "Love scenes", things seemed to have changed between us. Of course, I might have been reading too much into things but it seemed like he was getting a bit flirty with me. It was later in the evening and I had excused myself to head to the ladies' room. On my way out, I was shoved by another patron and nearly fell into the wall. Of course, my usual savior was right there and caught me before I fell as he had just exited the men's room. 

I began giggling, not because I was drunk or anything although I was a bit tipsy, but because it was really funny that he always seems to be the one to catch me when I trip or fall. He said something in that super low voice and I could not stop the shiver. _"What, you like it when I drop my voice?"_ I heard him ask me. All I could do was nod in reply and bite my lower lip. He began more or less growling in that super low voice and I closed my eyes. My heart began speeding up and I swear I was trembling. 

His arms were still around my waist so as he was "singing", he moved us to where my back was against the wall in the corner to the bathrooms where we wouldn't be seen. He was standing just a few inches in front of me. Now, my sisters and I are really short at a sad 5'0. He's 6'3 ½! I don't know what it is about the vast height difference, but I really liked that too. It felt like he could protect me when I'm usually the one protecting people. He leaned his head down so he could talk to me where no one would hear him. Not that there were many people walking back here.

 _"I have been attracted to you for a long time."_ He confessed, scruff of his chin tickling my neck

Oh my. I'm in trouble now! What was I supposed to say to that? My mind was blank as he sort of nuzzled my neck with his face. Did.....did I just hear one of us moan in pleasure? Could he feel my body trembling? Could he feel how fast my heart rate was right now?

 _"If you don't feel the same, don't feel bad for letting me know."_ He said, voice low and deep and sexy as hell, _"I'm a big boy, I can handle rejection."_

"I, uh, you see......" I stuttered, making him smile

"Why the stammering?" He smirked

I licked my lips. They, as well as my mouth, suddenly felt very dry. He rested his hands on either side of my hips.

"I guess I don't have to worry about you not feeling the same." He stated, purposefully dropping his voice

He then let out this deep growl and my knees started feeling like jelly. When did it get so hard to breath? He moved and rested his forehead against mine. We were just standing there so close together just staring intently into one another's eyes. There was nothing more I wanted in that moment than to kiss him. To feel his lips on mine once more. This time it was real. No one watching us, no one filming. Of course, it may have been real then too but I don't know. 

He cupped both my cheeks in his hands. It seemed like slow-motion as he leaned down and gently pressed his lips to mine. Everything felt so surreal I thought I was having a dream! My left arm snaked around his waist and tried to pull him even closer to me (as if that was even possible) while my right sat on his left hip and dipped just under the hem of his t-shirt. Such soft skin! He deepened the kiss and once again I wasn't sure which one of us moaned. 

The whole world just disappeared. Problems, baggage, everything just melted away. Was this normal? We just stood there kissing for I don't even know how long. It felt good. It felt right. We eventually had to pull away to catch our breath, though. Those dark chocolate eyes were twinkling, I swear it! All I could do was bite my lower lip. He leaned down to kiss me again. This time with much more confidence and passion. His left hand left my cheek and snaked its way around my back. I think my body just melted into his.

I let my hand slip further under his shirt. If I didn't know any better, there were goosebumps on his skin. Was that because of me? We just stood there caressing, kissing, and generally making out. Time just stood still, as cliché as that sounds. Everything just felt right. Like this was where I was meant to be or something. My hand was running all over his skin underneath his shirt and I could feel his body tense up every now and then.

 _"A man could quickly fall in love with you."_ He stated, staring into my eyes

It was a sweet thought. Until things hit me like a ton of bricks.

"I'm not....." I stated as reality came crashing down on me, "....not worth it. I'm sorry." 

I untangled myself from him and bolted out of the bar. No telling anyone goodbye or anything. Tears were making my vision blurry, my heart was aching, and my whole life was flashing in my mind's eye. I didn't want to head back to the hotel. Surely, he'd seek me out there. I began briskly walking the opposite direction from the hotel. It did no good because he quickly caught up to me. Damn those beautiful long legs of his!

"Lilja, what's going on? Talk to me, darlin'." He said, pulling on my arm

"Leave me alone." I shouted a bit angrier than I meant, _"Please."_

I whispered the last word. It sounded so dejected but that's how I felt at this moment.The world was spinning and not in a good way. Why? Why did things have to happen? Why did someone like him have to be interested in me?

"No! Talk to me. I didn't think I was reading signals wrong back there." He said, voice low but calm and almost comforting

I was fighting the tears that threatened to fall. No, I was not going to let him break through all the walls I'd built up. People hurt you. The only people I needed in my life were my sisters.

"Lilja, you're crying. I'm not asking for a lifetime commitment here. I want to know what's wrong and why you're so upset." He said as he pulled me into a hug

Oh my did he smell good. He hugged me tightly and the damn broke open. I began crying so hard into his chest that I'm pretty sure I soaked his t-shirt. He just stood there with me, rubbing my back, and letting me cry. _"Shhh, it's alright"_ I heard him say in that beautiful deep voice. He pulled away then slipped his left arm around my waist. We walked back to the hotel in silence. I was still sniffling when we made it to where we were staying. He was sharing a room with one of others so he asked if it was ok for us to head to my room. All I could do was nod at him. We made it to my room a few minutes later.

He let me enter first but I shut the door after he entered. I grabbed a couple of the Tequila and Vodka bottles from the mini fridge (they were the little bitty bottles, one or two good gulps) and headed out onto the balcony. It was a nice night outside, clear skies, cool but not cold temperature. There was a lounger and one lone chair. I let him have the lounger as I plopped down in the chair.

"You need to tell me what's going on, darlin'. Please." He calmly stated, "I can't help if I don't understand what's going on."

"I.... I am not...." I stuttered

How in the hell was I supposed to explain myself to him? If I began telling him things, I wouldn't be able to shut up and eventually I'd tell him _everything_. If I told him everything then he would most likely not ever want to hang out with us or talk to us anymore. That would be so heartbreaking, for me at least. Tim reached over and grabbed my hand to give it a reassuring squeeze. This. This is what I'm talking about. These guys are all so sweet and caring. That'll all change when they find out about me. They'll pull away from us, distancing themselves as much as they can.

"Hey sweetie, no need to cry." Tim stated before pulling me over to sit next to him on the lounger

He wrapped his arm around my shoulder as I cried. All I could do was sit there, leaning on Tim, and cry. It was so embarrassing. Especially since he's already seen me break someone's fingers just for smacking my ass. Here I am a sobbing mess. It made me cry all the harder. 

"Darlin', please talk to me." He said, keeping his voice soft and low

"I......I'm.... so....sorr......sorry." I hiccupped

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I'll sit here with you all night if you need me to." He gently told me

It took me a while to calm myself back down. I was still sniffling but had calmed down a good deal. I still didn't want to tell him about me. Thankfully there came a loud knock at the door. I was quick to get up and head inside to open up my door. There was Joe and Richard. Seeing me all upset made Joe pull me into a hug. He asked me what's wrong making me sigh.

"I've been trying to get her to tell me but she doesn't want to." Tim quietly said

"What did she say?" I heard Duane say as he walked over to us

"Lilja's upset and crying." Richard explained

"Call her sisters. Get them over here." Duane stated as he ushered everyone into my room

Tim took his phone out and called one of my sisters as Joe helped to my bed. They all took seats just watching me cry. Tim said that my sisters and the rest of his band were on their way. I just shook my head no which really confused everyone. It didn't take long for the rest of this group to arrive. Tim told them what had happened, leaving out the bit about us making out, and said that he had been trying to get me to tell him what was wrong. I just looked up at my sisters and they knew.

"I guess it's time for 'the talk'." Kirsi sighed dejectedly, "Get some tissues. This is gonna be a long conversation."

This is exactly what I didn't want to talk about! Taking a deep breath, I looked at all the men in my room. People found seats wherever they could. I'd quit crying for the most part. Sniffling could still be heard from me but they were all looking at us with very worried expressions.

"This is probably the hardest conversation we've ever had. If you think anything we're about to tell you is untrue, you can call Professor Bouvier and Professor Mackelroe." Taimi said earning head nods from both of us

With a deep breath, I began telling them about our parents. I told them about our older brother Aji. The conversation started to get heavy and the tears were already forming again. Tim moved to sit next to me so he could wrap an arm around my shoulders in an effort to give me comfort. Kirsi was tearing up as well. I really hated reliving our past almost as much as I hated being pitied for what we've been through. As we told these nine men all about our childhood, I could hear gasps of shock and the occasional _'oh hell no'_ coming from people.

This conversation was so heavy and it got to where I couldn't bear to look people in the eye. As I spoke I just stared at the floor in front of me. Tim was gently rubbing my back as I explained the horrors we had somehow survived. There were several times I had to stop because either I was choking up or was getting angry. There were points where I let some of the guys run their fingers over some of my tattoos so they could feel the scars underneath the tat. The almost shocked looks I got when they did was heartbreaking.

Taimi and Kirsi had a few tattoos and they were all hiding scars as well. When we were finished telling them of our childhood, how we grew up, and pretty much everything up until our second stint in college, the room got eerily silent. It was making me uncomfortable and I desperately wanted to bolt from my room. The comforting hand rubbing circles on my back was the only thing keeping me from doing so. 

"Are you ok?" Taimi asked so quietly it was almost a whisper

"Are you asking us if we're ok?" Rob questioned, clearly shocked, "You're the ones reliving a living hell and crying. We should be asking you that."

Taimi chuckled nervously, "So, uh, you all know all about us now."

"Oh sweetie, none of us could ever fathom what you went through. But the fact that you made it this far without falling into drugs or prostitution testifies to your strength and determination." Duane stated, "God definitely has something amazing in store for you ladies. He's had His hand on you for a long time."

All I could do was smile at him. I cautiously looked around at the room. There it was. Those sad, almost pitying looks. This is why I hated telling people about us. 

"Sweetie, no one here is judging you. No one here is pitying you or thinking badly about you. We're all still processing what you've told us. I think I can say with somewhat certainty that we all had good childhoods and can't imagine our parents doing what your mother did." William Lee said as if he could read my mind

"Just.... Just don't treat us any differently." Kirsi stated

"That PTSD attack you had when we were trying to watch them play.... Did that have something to do with your childhood?" Chance questioned, eyes wide

I hung my head shamefully, "It's the high winds. Severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes. Anything with high winds causes me to have an attack."

"She was just a child. Chained to a tree in our front yard in the middle of an F-5 tornado. It... it scarred her." Kirsi added in

"Oh baby, I am so sorry." William Lee stated, reaching out to give my hand a squeeze

"Why are you looking ashamed? That would probably scar anyone of us!" Rob stated

"Other students have been quite cruel to her about it. We were in class one day when all of a sudden, a tornado popped up a few miles away. She went into an attack and a few of the jocks were making fun of her for 'being afraid of wind'. Ever since then, it makes her feel ashamed." Taimi angrily replied

"Well they didn't go through what you did. They don't know what they're talking about." Chance stated

"Wait. That night you had a nightmare on our bus. . . . " Tim trailed, ". . .was this why? Your childhood, I mean."

My voice didn't want to work so I just nodded yes. He pulled me into his side and gave me a squeeze. 

"That one project makes much more sense now." Joe exclaimed making Kirsi smile at him

"So, do you have a relationship with your dad now?" Richard asked

"Oh yeah. Once we turned 18 and moved into the college dorms, we were actually able to get correspondence from him. That was one heartbreaking and rage-inducing meeting." I stated

"How come?" Rob asked

"Our dad brought Aji with him so we could meet for the first time since our birth. He also brought a briefcase with him. Val had told us some things but we were never really sure if it was a lie or not. She can't be trusted so we were always a bit suspicious. 

Dad told us the real story of what happened and had documentation to back up what he was telling us. He had fought tooth and nail to get full custody of all of us but the courts, for whatever reason, decided he could have Aji but us girls had to stay with her. He had jumped through hoops to jump through more hoops to jump through a ring of fire to get us but the courts wouldn't budge.

He sent us letters, birthday presents, Christmas presents, school clothes, all sorts of things over the years but we got nothing. She always threw everything away so we would think he'd just abandoned us. He had proof that he'd over-night things to us. Hearing that and seeing the proof he had made me want to go home and kill that bitch." I explained

"Lilja definitely has anger issues because of our childhood but that really enraged me and Taimi too. She, out of spite or hatred or both, kept us from a loving family. A stable home. A real childhood. None of us have been able to forgive her." Kirsi added in

"Oh darlin' that isn't right at all!" Joe exclaimed

"Dad said it killed him because he knew what was going to happen. He was powerless to do anything." Taimi said, "But a few years ago, he flew us to Finland for Christmas so we could meet our family. I don't think we'd ever felt such love and so welcomed in all our lives!"

"That's good." Austin smiled at us

"I just want to say that we all love you ladies very much. This isn't going to push us away or make any of us not want to hang out, ok?" Duane said looking directly at me

"That makes me feel better. We don't tell many people this because the few times we have, they always pull away and quit wanting to have anything to do with us." Taimi stated

"Well that is certainly not the case for Home Free, I assure you!" Austin stated, "You're stuck with us for life!"

We all laughed at his statement. The tension I felt earlier was gone. The worry, the fear, the anxiety. Just...gone.

"I don't know about you, but I'm suddenly exhausted." Kirsi stated

"It is late. We should probably head to bed." Duane said, keeping an eye on Tim and me

Everyone started standing up and giving us hugs. We reassured them that we were fine. Kirsi and I were sharing a room so a lot of the guys walked Taimi down the hall to her room. Kirsi, seeing Tim and I just standing there, gave us some privacy by heading out into the hallway.

"I meant what I said earlier." He quietly told me, "Nothing has changed for me. Just.... Just know that."

I was so stunned I couldn't respond. He smiled sweetly at me before kissing my forehead. He left without another word. I just stood there like an idiot, still trying to process what happened. My broken heart couldn't believe that someone as amazing at Tim Foust would still be interested even after learning all my dark secrets. That just wasn't possible. Finally, I shook my head and went to get ready for bed. Kirsi had come back and was getting ready for bed when I laid down.

Even as hard as I tried, my mind couldn't let go of the feeling of his lips on mine. The feeling of him pressed up against me. Of his face nuzzling my neck or the way he smelled. It made my stomach do funny things. "A man could quickly fall in love with you." That statement kept playing through my mind as I finally drifted into a fitful sleep.


	21. Filming part 2

The next morning we were supposed to be hitting the road again. I got up to take me a quick shower before heading downstairs for breakfast. Taimi met me at the elevators. She seemed much more relaxed. As we rode the elevator down to the lobby, she confessed that she had been stressing about telling everyone about us and how they were going to react. It went better than any of us expected. We hadn't seen anyone so we got a table at the hotel restaurant by ourselves. 

Once we'd given our drink orders, I turned to my sister, "So what's up with you and Austin?"

She looked up at me in shock which made me laugh.

"Girl, you can't hide things from me. I've noticed the texting late at night. How you two are always sitting together. How you'll be talking very quietly where no one else can hear you." I stated with a raised brow

"Ok, so I may have a little crush on him. Happy?" She stated, avoiding looking me in the eye

"Has he asked you out?" I questioned

"No." 

"Why not?" I asked

"How the hell should I know? I thought he had a girlfriend but I guess they broke up a while ago." She countered

We ate our breakfast then headed back to our rooms to pack up. Once we had all our stuff, we made our way downstairs. I noticed several of our guys heading into the hotel restaurant with the luggage to grab breakfast before we hit the road again. 

"Whatcha smiling at?" I heard that familiar deep voice ask

"Hmm? Oh, nothing." I stated, turning to face him, "Aren't you going to go grab breakfast?"

"Nah. Not really hungry this morning. Have you eaten?" He asked

"Yep. Taimi and I had breakfast all by our lonesome this morning." I chuckled, "I would like to talk to you though."

"Oh? What about?" He asked, suddenly seeming very nervous

"Let's walk out to our bus." I said

He cocked his eyebrow at me but followed me. As we made it to where our busses were parked, he said he'd meet me on our bus while he put up his luggage. I smiled at him as I nodded. My bags needed to be put up too so I did that while I waited for Tim. On my way to the back lounge, I grabbed a Dr. Pepper from the fridge. With the rush of making sure I had breakfast and then packing up, I hadn't checked my phone this morning. There was a sweet 'good morning' text from Tim which made me smile.

"Ok. What did you want to talk about?" Tim asked as he plopped down beside me

"Austin." I said

His face fell and I had to laugh. I slapped his arm playfully.

"You think I'm interested in Austin?!" I laughed

"I hope not." He stated with a smirk, "What do you want to talk about Austin?"

"Firstly, is he single? Secondly, do you know how he feels about Taimi?" I inquired

If I didn't know any better, I would have sworn a look of utter relief washed over the man. It was cute!

"Yes he is single. He and Olena broke up over a year ago. They'd been having problems for a while before that so he was already emotionally.... Not there. If you know what I mean." Tim explained, "I'm not sure how he feels about Taimi. I know he's been texting a lot."

"Hm." I replied

"Why are you so interested?" Tim asked, turning his whole body towards me

I mimicked him before speaking, "This goes no further than this room. Got it? She's been texting a lot for a while. And giggling like mad even staying up later than she normally would texting and giggling and stuff. I've noticed some glances and what-not so I finally asked her about it this morning. She admitted she had a crush on him but says he hasn't asked her out yet."

"Oh really?!" Tim smirked

"No teasing him about it!" I scolded

"Yes, dear." Tim laughed, "What do you want to do, then?"

"I don't know. She likes him. Honestly, he's the first guy she's showed this much interest in, in several years now. The night at the bar where y'all saw us belly dancing for the first time, he was always the one to get her out on the dance floor. He always wants to sit near her." I said, glancing down at Tim's lips

"Well how about this. We'll give him a week and if he hasn't said anything to her, then I'll bring it up with him. And I promise I won't tell him what you've told me." He said with a smile

"You've got yourself a deal." I grinned back

"Hey sis! You on the bus?" Kirsi yelled

"Yeah! In the back!" I shouted back

"Just making sure. Gonna get back to working on the last few costumes when we hit the road." She told me as she came back, "Oh, there was some mail dropped off at the hotel for you."

I leaned across Tim, yes I know I didn't have to, to get my mail from my sister. When I sat back down, he was looking at me all sorts of funny.

I grinned at him, "What?"

He cleared his throat before saying 'nothing'. It made me chuckle as I threw my mail on the table. We fell into a comfortable silence as we waited for the busses to pull out. The rest of the guys could be heard boarding the bus and I couldn't help but smile.

***********************************

The Oaks were performing tonight so they had some interviews and what-nots to do today. We were trying to get some filming done with Shinedown. Zach was getting on my nerves as he wanted to argue with me about something to do with the old west. Before I out-and-out clocked him one, I decided I'd go and look it up to see who was right. Everyone else was pretty chill and cool to hang out with. 

I was looking at my Kindle Fire looking it up and wasn't watching where I was going. I ran right smack into Tim's chest! I'm not sure how, but he caught me before I could hit the ground. He was more or less cradling me to his chest where I got a really good whiff of his cologne. It made my insides tingle! Man did he smell absolutely amazing! I mumbled a 'thanks' as he stood us up. He flashed me that beautiful smile and it made my heart speed up ever so slightly. We just stood there for a moment staring into one another's eyes. Suddenly I remembered what I was supposed to be doing so I thanked him again before walking briskly away. 

We were having more and more of these little "moments". Staring into each other's eyes over dinner or when I do something stupid like what I'd just done. What was going on between us? What the hell was going on with me for crying out loud?! I mean, sure, we had that one brief make-out session. He was always quick to check on me. We spent the majority of our time together. That didn't really mean anything. Did it? Shaking my head, I strolled back to where we were filming with Shinedown.

"I was wrong, was I? This article says otherwise." I exclaimed as I turned my Kindle around to show Zach that I was, indeed, right

"Big deal. You're just college kids. What do you know?" He retorted angrily

"Zach, that was totally uncalled for!" Brent scolded

"Nah, it's cool. I don't get offended by Leprechauns." I stated before turning to walk away

Eric and Barry were laughing but Zach wasn't.

"You think that's funny? You're shorter than I am!" He stated angrily

"And?" Was all I said

He mumbled something and I was sure if I had heard him, I'd probably be beating his ass right now.

"Look here, kid. Just say your lines and do as you're told." I replied, voice getting quiet as he was getting really angry

"Ok, everyone's emotions are running high. We're all tired from the tour. Let's not say something we're gonna regret." Barry said, trying to calm the situation down

"Why should we do this stupid project? It's not worth anything." Zach exclaimed, crossing his arms across his chest

"Sis, don't say a word." Kirsi warned me, throwing a finger up and giving me a 'look'

"Can't speak for yourself, midget?" Zach stated making me smirk

"Zach! What the hell is wrong with you?" Eric yelled

All I did was cock my eyebrow as I just stared at Zach. Not saying anything seemed to piss him off more than anything else. He began screaming at me, telling me how stupid this project was, criticizing my writing, calling me a whore, and stating how the costumes were ugly and stupid and not time-period correct. I think he shocked his band when he shoved me so hard, I stumbled backwards then fell. All I did was stand up and dust myself off. Not once did I say anything. I cocked my eyebrow at him and stared. That, for some reason, seemed to really anger him and he rushed me, knocking us both to the ground.

"What in the hell are you doing?" Tim said, voice getting very deep since he was angry, "Get the hell off her!"

I watched as Tim, who is 6'3 ½ , rushed over and yanked a 5'4 Zach off me by the shirt. Tim shoved him really hard making Zach stumble back and nearly fall. We all watched as Zach regained his balance, shook his head, then rushed Tim! The taller man side-stepped out of the way making Zach nearly fall on his face. Luke came rushing over with the rest of Home Free as a fist fight was about to ensue. I quickly walked to Tim and grabbed his right arm.

"No. Don't." I urged the tall brunette

"Why? He attacked you!" Tim exclaimed making his band gasp in shock

"He's not worth you getting into a fist fight with." I replied, "Besides I don't need any of y'all nursing injuries that we'll have to try and use make-up to cover up."

"Of course, make it about you." Zach huffed earning himself a disapproving look from all his bandmates 

"Are you ok? You seemed to have hit the ground hard when he rushed you. That had to have hurt." Tim asked as he finally turned his full attention to me

"Wait. Zach attacked Lilja?" Luke questioned, "That doesn't sound like Zach."

"Sweetie, I'm fine." I smiled up at him, "I promise."

"He's been kinda moody lately. We are so sorry for all this. I promise, we'll get him reigned in." Barry apologized

"And what he said is not how the rest of us feel. We're really excited about this." Eric said, giving me a warm smile

"That's good to know." I smiled back, "Kirsi and Taimi can probably finish up the filming for these scenes today. If you don't mind."

"That'll work. You can get started with Home Free." Taimi said, shooting a quick glance at Austin

"Are you sure you're ok?" Tim asked again, worry gracing his handsome features

"I'm a tough bitch. It'll take more than some deranged leprechaun to do me in!" I said making everyone else laugh too

"So Miss Feisty. What are we filming today?" Rob questioned as we walked to where another building had been set up for our filming

"Uh, I'll have to check." I laughed

There was so much going on that half the time I did forget what we were supposed to be filming each day. It was stressful that was sure! We wanted to be professional, we wanted to be kind and not bitchy, but we were also perfectionists. Yes, this was "just" for college. These guys had all said they wanted to showcase our project on their websites. Which meant millions of people might see this! The whole group laughed as we walked towards the building. I was looking at my Kindle because I'd made notes on it for just such an occasion. 

"I'll get your camera stuff from the bus while you figure out what the plan is for us." Luke said, flashing me a warm smile

"Ok, Adam this is kinda your moment. You'll be delivering goods to different shops that they've ordered." I stated

He nodded at me to let me know he'd heard me. I went to check on the building which for now was the General Store where Duane and Adam worked. Everything looked great, including the "back", so I mentally prepared myself for working solely with Home Free. Luke returned with my camera and laptop bags, so I got to setting it up my laptop where the footage would be downloaded to. There were several small camera's that I needed to place before we could really get rolling. The guys were all just standing around while I worked. I also got a green screen set up on the left of the building since there were supposed to be buildings side-by-side for convenience of the townsfolk. 

"Adam, sweetie, I need you to head into the back of the store. You'll be loading the sacks and stuff that's back there onto that wagon. Don't worry, although everything looks full and heavy it's not. All the bags and barrels and such are filled with those packing peanuts just to make things look full." I stated

"You got it." He said with a smile

I told everyone to hush while before following Adam. Before he started picking up bags, I had to turn all my small cameras on. Once that was done, I was ready to film. I told him 'action' and just walked around, being careful to not get in the way of my other cameras, and filmed him 'working'. He remained silent as he worked. Once everything had been loaded onto the wagon, I quit filming.

"That was great, Adam! Let me check what I have to see if we need to do it again or not." I told him

I made my way to my laptop and didn't realize he had followed me. We stood together watching the playback of what I'd gotten from all my cameras. It was good even thought it was just a simple scene. There was a guy that Luke had contacted about trained horses so we had to wait on him to get here before we could film the scenes that needed it. I asked the guys to help move the wagon in front of the "store" while I changed it around to look like a different building.

Once they had moved it, the wagon was fairly light as well, they all began helping move things around. They were all in costume already which made me thankful I wouldn't have to wait on them to change and come back! It took probably fifteen minutes for the rearranging and what-nots. Then there was the moving of the little cameras. I wanted to make sure we got enough footage in each take that we could have several angles like in "real" movies. This project was going to make or break us, I was sure of it!

"Alright fellas. Adam, you're taking the first bit of supplies to Austin, or Mr. Jennings. You'll be delivering those two bags and that barrel. Austin, you'll be on that side of the building working when he pulls up. You let him unload your packages from the wagon but you'll talk to him as he does." I said with a smile 

The two men got into position as I moved to stand in the doorway of the building so that I could film Adam from that angle. They both said they were ready so I turned on the smaller cameras again before starting the camera I was holding. I told them 'action' and our scene began.

_Adam climbed down from the seat of the wagon. He dusted himself off as Austin came around from the corner where he actually worked._

_"Adam! Good to see you! How's your father?" Austin asked_

_"Hello Mr. Jennings. He's doing good, helping some neighbors rebuild a fence that was damaged today." Adam replied with a warm smile as he walked around to the back of the wagon_

_He took once sack off the wagon and slung it over his right shoulder. Austin told him where to set it in the store. Adam walked in and set the bag down at the designated location._

_"How's the family, Mr. Jennings?" Adam asked as he loaded up the second bag onto his shoulder_

_"Tami is doing wonderful, Adam! I got very lucky to have such a wonderful cook for a wife!" Austin laughed making Adam smile as he set the 'heavy' bag on top of the first one_

_"When are you going to settle down?" Austin asked as they walked back to the wagon_

_"Oh, I don't know. I'm usually busy helping my father at the store." Adam replied as he cautiously took the 'heavy' barrel off the wagon_

_They walked into the store so Adam could put the barrel down._

_"Well, the right woman will come along before you know it! Thanks for the delivery. Tell your father I said thanks and here's my payment." Austin said, handing over the payment_

_Adam took it and put it inside a small leather satchel he carried with him._

_"I sure will, Mr. Jennings. Have a good day!" Adam said before climbing back onto the wagon to make his next delivery_

"Ok guys! That was wonderful! Let me check my footage and we'll go from there!" I smiled at them

I rewound the footage that was just taken. Everything was looking pretty good so far. 

"It's so weird for him to be calling me 'Mr'." Austin laughed

"Yeah totally." Adam replied, beginning to laugh too

"Awesome! I don't think we need to re-film any of that." I smiled with a bit of relief, "You guys are naturals!"

They all laughed. I asked Luke, who told me he'd be my assistant until my sisters were done with Shinedown today, to move the sacks and barrel back onto the wagon. He nodded at me before heading over to do just that. The building needed to be "redone" again so that's what me, Chance, and Rob were doing. 

"Hey, Lilja!" I heard Barry stated making me turn around

"Is something wrong? Are my sisters ok? What happened?" I asked, firing question after question at him as I silently panicked that something had happened

"Nothing. Your sisters are done with me for the day so I thought I'd come over and see if I could help you." Barry replied, "And yes, Zach is behaving himself after Jake had a pretty serious talk with him."

"Oh, ok. Well, we gotta change this building up if you'd like to help with that." I said, relaxing again

The building was finally "redone", including the inside, it was nearly time to film again. I motioned for Rob to come over to where Adam and I were standing.

"Alright fellas. Rob, or Mr. Schneider, you're the saloon owner. Your delivery is a few casks today. You're in the saloon cleaning and getting ready to open for the day. Sweep, wipe tables down, etc. Pick whatever you wanna do, ok? Adam will come in rolling the first cask and that's when your dialogue will start. OK?" I explained

"You got it, boss!" Rob stated making me giggle

I got my cameras, the little ones, turned on and filming before walking back outside with Adam. Rob shouted that he was ready so I got into position to film Adam. I nodded to the freak-of-nature who smiled at me.

_Adam carefully took one cask off the wagon. It was supposed to be filled with liquid. Once it was on the ground, he gently laid it on its side to make it easier to roll. He cautiously rolled the cask into the building._

_"Adam, it's good to see you! I guess that's my delivery?" Rob asked_

_There was a pause that wasn't supposed to be there._

_"No, I'm rolling casks all over town for exercise." Adam said making everyone laugh including me_

_"I'm sorry, Lilja." Adam said when he quit laughing, "For some reason my mind just went blank."_

_"It's ok, hun. Let's get it back on the wagon and try again!" I smiled at the blond_

_Once Adam got the cask back on the wagon, he took a few deep breaths then tried his scene again. Everything was going great until Rob forgot his lines! Everyone was cracking up at the giant teddy bear's facial expression. This was definitely going in the bloopers reel!_

"I'm sorry, Lilja!" Rob apologized but I was still laughing

"It's.... it's ok." I said finally able to talk normally-ish, "Better to have fun and laugh than all stiff and boring."

"Good point!" Rob chuckled

We began our scene over again and things went a lot smoother. We got what I needed the third time with no issues. As I was checking my laptop for the footage, I looked at one of the small cameras, which was still filming, and found Adam looking directly at it making goofy faces. It was adorable and funny all at the same time.

"Alrighty guys! We need to switch up the building once more for the last delivery. Barry, I'm glad you're here. You're needed for this scene too." I stated with a smile, "Now, this is the blacksmith/gunsmith shop. His shop is actually pretty small and this half of the shop is actually open so he can work."

I showed them where the "shop" needed to be opened and where the "shop" part needed to be. There wasn't much furniture in this one which made it easier to "redesign". 

"Are things really going good? I mean music videos are one thing. This is something else." Tim quietly stated as his band mates were helping me by switching the building up

"If they weren't, we'd say so. And you guys are doing a phenomenal job!" I smiled at him

"How's everything looking?" Rob asked

"Good! I need to move the smaller cameras then we'll be just about ready to film this last little bit." I replied with a smile

Once I'd moved my cameras and got them filming, I moved to get ready to film Adam. Barry was preparing for his scenes and once he was ready, I called out 'action'.

_Adam picked up a "heavy" sack and draped it over his shoulder._

_"Hello, Mr. Mackleroe. I have your delivery." Adam said as he moved towards where Barry was at crafting a gun._

_"Oh, hello there, Adam." Barry said as he looked up, "Uh, set them over there if you will."_

_"Yes, Sir." Adam replied_

_The blond moved carefully to where Barry had pointed with his dirty hand. It was a bit hard to get good shots and stay out of the way of my other cameras. Somehow I managed and I thought these shots were going to come out great. As Adam was fetching another sack, I moved to film Barry._

_"Done, already?" Barry asked_

_"Yes, Sir." Adam replied_

_"Ok, son. Here's my payment. Tell your father I said hello!" Barry said, flashing that beautiful grin of his_

_"I will, Sir. Thank you." Adam replied as he took the offered payment_

"Awesome guys!" I said ending our filming

I went to check the footage that I'd just taken and smiled. Things were going great which was a huge help! I told them I didn't think I had anything else for the moment so we could call it a day. Tomorrow Shinedown would be performing and we'd be leaving after their set so we had all day tomorrow to film. Barry walked over to talk to me about the project and how it was going. We were just chatting as we dismantled the building and got it and all the furniture and stuff put into the trailer that was normally pulled behind our bus.


	22. Relationships, man

Filming was actually going pretty good, even if Home Free kept messing up and making me laugh! I didn't feel like my writing was good enough despite my sisters telling me otherwise. This was going to make or break us. That wasn't the only reason I had been stressing lately over my writing. I wanted to make all the guys proud that they had participated in our project. It was going to take us a long while for editing, we were estimating about two months total, but we were also preparing DVD content. 

Let's not talk about the relationship-but-not-relationship between me & Tim and Taimi & Austin. Even Kirsi seems to have found herself an admirer. It seems Brent had developed a bit of an attraction towards my sister but was a bit too shy to say anything. Barry and I had been texting back and forth about that situation. His ex-girlfriend seemed to have really messed with his head, and I totally understand that ***glares at nothing, thinking about Chuck*** , so he was a bit hesitant to even acknowledge feelings for another woman. 

Although Tim had never officially asked me out, we did seem to be spending a whole lot of time together. We were texting constantly if we weren't physically together and weren't busy. We sent good morning and good night texts. Not once did either of us ever say "I love you". Coincidentally, Austin and Taimi were doing virtually the same thing. Whenever I had a nightmare, I'd call Tim and he'd talk to me and with me until I calmed down and then he'd sing me to sleep. 

For a long while, we never kissed unless it was for scenes for our project. That night at the bar would remain in my memory forever, though! From time to time, I'd find myself staring at his lips. I even caught him staring at mine on more than one occasion. There were even a few occasions where he'd be on our bus watching movies with me and we'd both fall asleep in the back lounge together. When we'd wake up in the morning, we found ourselves covered up with a blanket. 

I did notice Austin spending a little more time on our bus as well. All of the Home Free guys were, to be honest, but even when the rest of the band weren't, Austin was here. They were always sitting close together talking quietly amongst themselves. She giggle at something he said and I swear he would beam like he'd won the lottery. They would text half the night sometimes. I knew they were because she'd wake me up giggling. I always faked like I was angry about it, and she'd apologize and look like a kicked puppy, but really I was just happy she had found someone who did keep her laughing and smiling.

The Home Free guys had wanted to go out one night and go do something. They invited us, naturally, so we happily (and quickly) agreed. We stopped at some little café before our evening festivities really began to grab a bite to eat. Our tour had once again run into Chuck's. He and Christina were standing in the lobby when our little party was leaving for the night. As we had dinner, we began talking about what we wanted to do. Apparently there was a place like Shenanigan's nearby. Bowling, indoor go-kart track, laser tag, pool, and all sorts of other arcade games. It was the logical choice, of course!

Adam was kind of a nerd, to our surprise, and his enthusiasm for this place was really cute. We entered and it was like a gamer's wonderland! They had old school games, new school games, some weird Japanese games, dancing games, and absolutely everything in between. I looked over at Kirsi and she winked at me. Oh yeah, this was gonna have to be documented! People split off in groups of two. Austin and Taimi went their own way. Tim and I went ours. Adam and Chance went towards some weird Japanese game. Kirsi and Rob were laughing at us already as they went somewhere.

Tim and I were being goofballs as we were playing some weird zombie game. It actually felt like we were on a date if I were honest with myself. Austin came running through chasing Taimi and I had to laugh at their stupidness. Tim's smile as he watched me laughing was just beautiful. Seeing him watching me made me turn away from him as I blushed. After a while, I excused myself so I could find the ladies' room. After doing my business and washing my hands, I left to go find where Tim had gone.

I spotted him at a bowling lane with the rest of our group. Unfortunately I didn't see Tim anywhere and that concerned me for some reason. Of course, Chuck wanted to start harassing me about stupid things. I tried my best to ignore him and walk towards my group. My idiot ex just wouldn't leave things alone. More wild accusations and bugging me about Tim. 

Chuck was being a turd, as usual, and after a while he was really irritating me. He and I were arguing, about Tim and our relationship, and I started poking him in the chest angrily for effect. Christina had come over with a two of her "girlfriends". Apparently, they thought they were going to gang up on me. She knew better than to try and pick a fight with me. She knew that I'd be able to take the three of them with ease if I was so inclined. One girl saw me and instantly backed away. I guess my reputation proceeds me!

"What's going on here?" Tim's deep voice could be heard from behind me

"None of your business, hick." Chuck defiantly stated, "Stay out of shit that's none of your concern."

"Chuck, be nice." I warned, pointing a finger at him

"I'm here to protect what's mine." Tim retorted, making Chuck's eyes go wide in shock, "So it is my business."

All I could do was smirk as Tim slid his arms around my waist. He was standing directly behind me and the sight really got to Chuck. His nostrils started flaring so I knew he was getting angry.

"She was mine first." Chuck finally said

"I'm not property, Chuck. Remember I broke up with your dumb ass nearly eight years ago." I said with another warning tone

"You didn't seem to have a problem when he referred to you as property!" Chuck countered, puffing his chest out

In a very surprising move, Tim leaned down and bit my shoulder. So much that he broke skin. It wasn't bad, just enough to leave teeth marks and draw blood. Now, it's been nearly eight years since I've had sex and biting is a bit of a turn on for me. Ok, maybe more than "a bit" of a turn on. I couldn't help but bite my lower lip at the pain-pleasure of it. Somehow, I found my voice.

"No, I didn't Chuck." I said

"Is it cold in here?" Christina's annoying voice 

"No, I'm rather hot right now." I stated before darting my eyes back to Chuck, "Kinda hot **_aaaaaaaand_** bothered."

I winked at Chuck making him grunt angrily. Tim gave my middle a squeeze. She motioned to my boobs which made me smile.

"Are you jealous? I mean, I know everyone has their preferred size and all." I said making Tim make some sort of noise behind me

It was....there are no real words for that noise but I knew I liked it. Chuck rolled his eyes which made me laugh.

"Some like small boobs, some like middle-sized boobs, some like big boobs...." I trailed

"Some like all kinds of boobs." Tim added in with a smirk

"Your boobs were always too big. I never liked them." Chuck stated, crossing his arms across his chest

"First of all Chuck, I've never had anyone tell me my boobs were too big. Secondly, if you hated my over-sized bust so much, then why is Christina getting implants to make hers bigger?" I retorted with a smirk 

"I have not gotten implants!" Christina exclaimed angrily

"Oh really? That's why you've gone up at least two sizes since Professor Dillan took a bunch of us to Hurricane Harbor?" I countered 

Tim once again made that low sound that made a shiver run down my spine. If I didn't know any better, I could have sworn there was something pressing into my back and I was sure it wasn't a gun.

"Why are you checking out her breasts, Lilja? Hick turning you to the other team?" Chuck said, laughing at his own joke

"Pfft, not hardly. But I do notice things. Especially when it's glaringly obvious." I said with my own smirk

Neither said anything, they just stood there staring at us angrily. It was humorous because they had not comeback.

"Are we done here? I'd like to get back to my friends." I finally stated 

"Is this the loser you were telling us about that she's banging?" Christina's friend Tammy sneered as she looked Tim up and down

"First of all, don't call him names. Secondly, who's in my bed is none of your business." I stated

Tim was nuzzling his face in my neck and the scruff of his chin was making me shiver ever so slightly. His right arm was situated just under my boobs and he was running his left hand up and down my arm.

"I guess we know how you got his band to work with you." Christina stated

"There's only one way anyone would ever want to work with you." Chuck sneered at us, "Oh wait, that can't be because you are without a doubt the worst lay I've ever had."

"That's pretty bad if you can't even satisfy Chuck." Tammy added in, making the three of them laugh

"You believe whatever you wanna believe, Chucky boy. Duane Allen asked me as a personal favor to add Tim's band to our project. I've never had any complaints from any real man I've allowed in my bed." I retorted, "Oh yeah, you never complained either. Until I broke up with you, that is. As...as a matter of fact, Chucky, you couldn't keep up with me in bed. And half the time you couldn't keep it up long enough for a decent roll in the hay."

"If I couldn't keep it up it's because you're so ugly that you made it go down!" He childishly exclaimed

"Boy, if you can't keep it up for her then you must be gay." Tim added, pressing himself further into my back

"I am not gay!" Chuck angrily screamed

"That's why you keep staring at Tim?" I laughed, "I get it, Chuck, I really do. He's absolutely gorgeous. Sweet and funny too. And have you seen that sweet ass of his?" 

"He's not staring at this country ass hick, Lilja." Christina said

"Really? That's why he hasn't noticed Tim playing with my tits? Because he's not busy staring AT Tim?" I countered with a laugh

It wasn't true. Tim was too much of a gentleman for that. Christina and Chuck both looked down to see if Tim was playing with my boobs or not. I was still laughing and then Tim began laughing too when he realized what I'd just done. Tim blew the pair a kiss before pulling me away. Chuck began screaming all sorts of insults at me making me and Tim laugh even harder. We made it to where everyone else was sitting at as we were still laughing.

"What the hell was that all about?" Rob inquired, looking around us to where Chuck, Christina, and Tammy were still standing clearly fuming

"Idiots." I quickly stated

"Jealous idiots." Tim corrected me

"Ugh. Chuck. I should've known." Taimi said with an eye roll

"Isn't he the same kid that always pisses you off?" Austin asked making Taimi nod at him

"Forget that loser. Let's have some fun!" Tim said making me turn and stare at him

The whole group started laughing at how it sounded. Tim blushed making me laugh too. I know what he meant but the way he said it was just funny. There was eight of us bowling and if I thought these guys were funny before, they were even funnier now. My sides started hurting because I was laughing so much.

**********************************************

I was doing Tim's make-up. He was in prison, in the story, and needed to look like such. We were alone on our bus since my sisters were busy getting the "prison" set up for filming today. Shinedown were doing interviews (Bill was escorting them where they needed to go since Jake was needed for filming) and the Oaks were off doing something. Home Free were, I think, chilling on their bus. Tim was just watching me as I worked silently. 

Before I knew it, he'd slipped both arms around my waist and pulled me onto his lap. I looked at him in surprise making him smile at me. Suddenly, he crashed his lips on mine. This was unusual but I still didn't fight it. Things had changed between us and I think we've gotten a lot closer. He made me feel weird. I kissed him back, thoroughly enjoying his lips on mine, as he began running his hands over my back. Pulling away from him, I smiled then slid off his lap to get back to work. 

Poor Tim looked like hell. That was a good thing for these scenes, though. He was in prison, after all! Kirsi sent me a text saying the prison was ready and we had a couple other prisoners, some of Shinedown's crew had volunteered, and all we were really waiting on was Tim. I replied to my sister before looking at Tim and said he was needed on set. Tim laughed at me as he stood up. 

We walked towards the big building that was our prison. We were on the back side of the half-way point of filming although we weren't exactly filming in order. We filmed what we could when we could. That's what editing is for! We get to put the movie "together" and make it flow like it should. I smiled at Jake as we approached. Kirsi was explaining what he needed to act like and what the scene in general was. Once everything had been established and everyone was in their places, we got to filming.

_"Prisoner Bassett." Jake's deep voice stated making Tim look up in surprise, "You have a letter."_

_"But......we're not supposed to get mail." Tim replied_

_"Look, kid. I know an innocent man when I see one. I try to help them out whenever I can. Keep your mouth shut about it, ok." Jake stated with a small smile_

_"Understood." Tim replied as his shaky hand reached out to take the letter that Jake was handing to him_

_The tall blond walked away, letting Tim read his letter in peace. I zoomed in on Tim's face as he read the letter. He smiled at something he "read". He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. I zoomed out to catch his hand fall down to his side still clutching the letter._

"Ok, guys! This is great. Let us check our footage then we'll go from there." Kirsi told them

Everything was looking great. The video was HD so even though the prison was dark, we still got excellent details. Oh this was going to turn out amazing! 

"Alright Tim, lay on your bunk. You should be asleep when Jake slides another letter into your cell." Kirsi explained

I handed Jake the envelope with the letter in it, we had to do this several times because Tim would be "getting" several letters throughout his prison sentence, while Tim moved to his cot and positioned himself like he was asleep.

_Jake slowly walked down the corridor checking on the inmates. I was walking backwards in front of him as I filmed Jake. Every now and then he'd stop at cell door and peer in. When he got to Tim's door, he looked around and then took out an envelope and slid it into the cell. We continued walking on._

_Kirsi was filming Tim as he was "asleep". When he "awoke", he noticed the envelope on the floor. Tim quickly got up and grabbed it to make sure no one else saw it. He sat down on the floor in a corner and opened the letter. He smiled, he teared up, he showed a bit of anger as he read through the letter._

_There were two pages to this one so he flipped the page to continue reading. When he was done, he folded it back up and put it back in its envelope. He sighed before running his hand through his hair._

"Alrighty guys, you are doing great! Let me see where Taimi is then we'll get to this next scene." Kirsi stated

"I can't wait to see how this all turns out!" Jake smiled

"It's gonna be awesome! We can't thank you guys enough for everything you're doing for us." I replied

"It's our pleasure. Even if Zach is acting like a brat." Jake laughed

"Ok, I got Nate. He's all ready to go." Taimi said as she approached with said man

"You have a cell mate, Tim!" I laughed, "We need to get a second cot in here before we start filming again."

"Already on it, sis!" Kirsi stated as she was bringing said cot

Jake helped us get it set up across from Tim's cot. I made sure my mini cameras were still in good positions now that there was a second person in the cell. Once everything was good to go, as it were, we got into our positions.

_Tim was sitting on his cot staring into nothingness. Nate was laying on back looking up at the ceiling. Jake came through checking on the inmates. When he got to Tim and Nate's cell, he cautiously slipped the white envelope out of his pocket and through the cell bars. The envelope slid across the floor hastily._

_As Tim picked the envelope off the floor, Nate turned his head._

_"What's that?" He asked_

_Tim had a line. Simple, one word. He sat there on his cot looking at Nate before he shook his head as he started to laugh._

_"I'm sorry, I forgot my lines."_

"It's ok. We can start from where you picked the envelope up off the floor." Kirsi said with a smile once people quit laughing

_Tim, once again, picked the envelope up off the floor. Nate turned his head again looking at Tim intently._

_"What's that?" Nate asked_

_"Nothing." Tim quickly replied_

_"I didn't think we were supposed to get mail." Nate stated with a serious expression_

_"If you say anything to anyone. . . . . " Tim trailed as he heard footsteps coming closer_

_Tim shoved the envelope down his shirt so it wouldn't be seen. Two guards walked back talking about some new inmate. Tim sat down on his cot with his back to the wall before taking the envelope out of his shirt._

_"Who's it from? Must be a loved one." Nate stated making Tim look up at him and sigh_

_"She is a loved one. She's loved by more than me." Tim stated_

_"Oh? Who else loves your woman?" Nate chuckled_

_"Her husband." Tim flatly replied, looking back down at the letter_

_"Oh."_

_"Yeah."_

_"Is that why you're here?" Nate asked_

_"No. I was accused of robbery." Tim said with a sigh, "I had no alibi that I could say because I'd been with her all night. With no proof I didn't do it, I was found guilty and sentenced to ten years here."_

_"I'm sorry man." Nate responded_

Each couple, Each band,Lily & Tim, Zach & Tim, Preacher & a painting, Lily & Richard, All the wives, Duane & Adam, Each man in his profession/work station 

"What's this?" Duane asked as he boarded the bus with the rest of the Oaks

"Hmm? Oh. We need to start thinking about movie posters and trailers. We'll also need to do a photo shoot so I was thinking of ideas for that." I stated, giving them all warm smiles

"Interesting. Your process is intriguing." Joe laughed

"That's what Professor Bouvier tells us all the time!" I laughed, "So what can I do for you fine fellas this afternoon?"

"We were thinking of going out this evening and bowling. We were wondering if you ladies would like to join us?" William Lee asked

"I don't know about my sisters but I'd love to!" I said as my laptop dinged signaling a new email

"Home Free will be joining us but the Shinedown guys obviously have their show to do tonight." Duane added in

"Well if Home Free are going, I'm not sure I wanna go now!" I stated with a fake huff

"What? Why? I thought you guys and girls were getting along so well!" Duane exclaimed

I couldn't hold it in any more and started laughing. Joe began laughing too as he realized I was joking.

"I'm kidding. I love those guys. I don't think I've ever laughed as much or as hard as when they're around." I said, calming down some

"You little brat!" Duane laughed, "That's good. I knew you'd get along really well. I think we'll be heading out about 8 so if you want dinner you might want to get it before we leave."

"Sounds good! I'll let my sisters know." I replied

"When are you wanting to do this photo shoot?" Joe asked

"I don't' know yet. We're still a ways off from needing to do it but we like being prepared and knowing what we're doing ahead of time. If that makes sense." I shrugged

We chatted a little while longer before they bid me goodbye. I sent a text to both my sisters letting them know about our plans for the evening. Since they were busy, I wasn't expecting a reply. Besides, I had work to do!


	23. Pool parties and wedding parties

A few weeks later, I was going through pictures on my phone. It always made me smile whenever I looked back at them. I made an album for our bowling night with the Oaks and Home Free and was uploading all the pics I had of that night to it. Jake was helping us find a suitable place for our photo shoot with Kirsi. We were in Las Vegas but I didn't want this shoot to be centered around being in Las Vegas. Taimi was on the phone with one of our professors about a project we had to do.

Apparently, we had to do a music video for a song that didn't have a music video for it already. All most students had to worry about was finding what song to do. We had three bands so she was trying to find out if we had to pick one song from each band or just one total. It was quite a dilemma, I guess, because she had been on the phone for a hot minute now. The Oak Ridge Boys were performing tonight but I wasn't up to going out. 

"Hey sis, do you know if the hotel has an indoor pool?" I asked Taimi

"I don't know. But lounging in a pool sounds pretty awesome right now!" She grinned at me

With a sigh, I called down to the receptionist. I asked if they had an indoor pool and was delighted to hear that their outdoor pool led into an indoor one. The water temperature was regulated so it wasn't cold. There was also a jacuzzi and hot tub down there. I thanked her before hanging up. Relaying what I'd been told made my sister squeal happily. We were getting into our bathing suits when Kirsi walked in. She asked us what we were doing so we told her. She grinned and asked us to wait for her. We had slipped robes on and grabbed towels by the time she returned.

I didn't see Austin looking at us as we walked to the indoor pool which was accessed through the lobby. To my surprise, and delight, the pool area was completely empty. I dropped my towel on a lounger, slid my robe off then walked over to the short diving board. That end of the pool was about 16'. I bounced a few times to make sure I got some good air. After I jumped up as high as I could go, I twisted around in the air then went straight down, head first. It took a few seconds for me to come back up. My sisters clapped for me as I surfaced.

We were having a great time being stupid and figured we'd have the pool all to ourselves since no one else had come down. I went to dive again and was still underwater when, apparently, others did arrived. I was swimming underneath the water and when I surfaced, I heard clapping. Figuring it was my sisters, I stood up in the two-foot of water.

"Holy shit!" I heard Adam say

I whipped my head around to find all the Home Free guys down here. And they were all staring at me. How the hell did they know there was an indoor pool? I looked over at Tim and I could have sworn I saw a growing problem in his swim trunks. He was just staring at me with the most lustful look I'd ever seen. 

"Uh, hi fellas." I stated

"H...hey." Adam stuttered, still staring at me

"So, uh, the water feels good. Not too cold, not too hot." I said, looking away from the blond beatboxer

"Awesome!" Rob said as he set his towel on a chair

I walked out of the pool and back over to the diving board. Eyes were still on me but I tried to not pay attention. I did a spinning dive this time. When I resurfaced, I found myself facing Tim. He was grinning at me now so I smiled back. We just floated there for a minute or so and stared at one another. Taimi squealing caught my attention so I looked around Tim to see that Austin was trying to drown my sister. Playfully of course! I was about to swim over to her but Tim grabbed ahold of my arm. He pulled me to the side of the pool since Chance was about to dive into the water.

"That suit....." He started, "....kills me."

I cocked my eyebrow at him. 

"I mean....uh.....it looks good....but you know....." He tried explaining

I smiled at him. We'd never confessed feelings towards one another, but it was times like this that I think we knew. There was definitely feelings there on both sides. I wanted so much to pull him to me but refrained. Kirsi came back with some water toys. No one was paying attention to us right now so I took the opportunity to reach up and cup his face with my left hand. He smiled at me as he rested his left hand on my hip. These little moments, man.

For a moment I thought he was going to lean down and kiss me. I could hear splashing and I giggled. Austin, Chance, Kirsi, Taimi and Rob were splashing each other like small children. It was cute and funny all at the same time. The fact that my sisters were so relaxed and having fun made me feel good. I always hated that they were usually worried I was going to get hurt.

"You have an adorable laugh." Tim quietly said, making me look back at him

He's never said anything like that before. It took me off guard! I guess he could read my mind.

"It's true. I don't know why I've never told you so before." He stated

His statement made me blush slightly. He moved a strand of wet hair behind my ear and I think I shivered slightly.

"We...." Tim started but was interrupted by Austin asking if we wanted to join them in a game of water volleyball

"Sure! Just don't get upset when we win!" I shouted back earning some 'oohs' and 'ohhhs' from everyone else

Since we needed a ref, Kirsi said she'd do it. Adam said he'd sit it out so that the teams were even. So Rob and Taimi got the net set up while the rest of us decided who was going to be on whose team. Austin said he'd be a captain and nominated Tim for the other captain. It wound up being me, Tim, and Chance on one team and Austin, Rob, and Taimi on the other. We were having so much fun playing and being stupid!

It was probably a good thing we were the only ones down here! In the end, my team won! Tim grabbed me by the waist and spun me around. I was laughing until we were shoved down into the water. We came up gasping for air. Austin and Chance were laughing at us so we looked at one another and then went for it. *SPLASH*!

"Who's laughing now, bitch?" I exclaimed making my sisters, Tim, and Adam laugh

"Not cool!" Austin exclaimed with a pout

"Very cool!" I countered with a smirk

That's what started the water fight. It was like we were teens and being stupid. These were the kinds of times that we should have had growing up. Fun, playful, relaxed and full of laughter. Chance had gotten the shark tail and was swimming around like a shark which made us all laugh! Until he dragged us underwater, that is! We stayed up really late playing in the pool. Eventually some of us started yawning so we opted to call it a night. 

I had bent forward so I could try and dry my hair a little. Of course, I didn't realize Adam was standing there watching me. Once my hair was dry enough that it would drip all over the floor, I stood back and grabbed my robe. Kirsi put hers back on but Taimi and I said 'screw it'. I smiled at Adam as I walked past him to stand with Tim, Chance, Kirsi and Rob. Taimi and Austin were standing together while she tried to dry her hair a bit too. We all walked through the lobby chatting and laughing. The stares made me chuckle and I added an extra sway to my hips for effect. 

Tim and I were walking around the strip the next day just sight-seeing, checking out some of the shops, and making fun of some of the wedding chapels (getting married by an alien? Really?), and taking some cool touristy photos. He and I were having a good time up until we ran into Chuck and Christina. Our tour had collided with theirs apparently. Just their presence irritated me and I think he knew that. He was trying to pull me away so we could go check out something that had caught his eye. 

Finally, I let him start leading me away. Of course, Chuck and Christina were following us which really irritated me.

"Timmy? Hey baby!" I heard someone exclaimed

"Jen....Jenika?" He asked, clearly confused as to why his ex-fiance would be here in Las Vegas

"Of course!" She smiled at him before flinging herself into his arms

His look of confusion was quickly replaced with anger.

"So who's this?" Christina asked

"I'm Tim's fiancé. Who are y'all?" The blond stated, looking between the three of us

"Oh no you're not!" He was quick to state

"But baby..." She started out but I stepped in

"Back the fuck off." I growled at her

"Who the hell are you?" She asked trying to act all tough

"So, you are a home-wrecking whore!" Chuck laughed

"Watch what you say about her, boy." Tim growled at Chuck at the same time I told Jenika, "Your worst fucking nightmare."

"Tim, can we talk?" Jenika said, turning towards Tim (and completely ignoring me), grabbing his arm to pull him away

"Bitch, lay a finger on him again and I **will** hurt you." I said as I shoved her away from him

"What are you gonna do, you stupid country hick?!" Chuck exclaimed

Jenika grabbed a hold of Tim's arm and tried pulling him away again. Oh hell no! I shoved her away again. This time she fell on her flat, non-existant ass. I turned to Chuck.

"I'm only gonna tell you this once. Leave him the hell alone. He's more of a man than you'll ever be."

"Were you fucking this skank behind my back, Timothy? Is she why you don't want me anymore?" Jenika yelled making several people around us turn to us

"Jenika. Leave. **Now**. You left me two weeks before we were supposed to get married. I moved on even though I thought I would never get over you. You, Jenika, are why I don't want you." Tim stated, voice getting deeper the angrier he got

"Sweetheart, let me handle this." I said, voice low and calm making Tim turn to me

"I don't want you getting hurt, darlin'." He said, "Let's just get on with our day."

We tried walking away. Again. But Christina wasn't gonna let things go. 

"You know it's shameful to steal someone else's man. Especially when they were clearly happy together." Christina stated 

I whipped around and was debating on just beating her face in until she was no longer recognizable. Tim grabbed my arm in an attempt at calming me down. 

**"That.Is.Rich."** I stated angrily, "You are the one who was fucking **MY** boyfriend knowing damned well he was with someone already. As a matter of fact, you gave him an STD which he then gave to me. Calling me a whore is laughable since you, Christina, are the one who'll fuck anything that looks in your general direction twice."

She gasped in shock as Jenika chimed in, "That's so mean to say of her! How do you know you didn't catch it from someone else?"

"Because I was clean when Chuck and I got together. I wasn't the one fucking around." I exclaimed making Tim chuckle

"This is the type of person you want to be with instead of me?" Jenika asked Tim, "Do you truly love someone as vile as her?"

"You know what I think is vile? Agreeing to marry someone you don't want to marry. Painstakingly planning a wedding then backing out at the last minute. Leaving someone you agreed to spend and share the rest of your life with." Tim stated, "Whether or not I love her is none of your business, Jenika. What we do together is no one's business. You left me and I got over it. Lilja left you, Chuck. You need to get over it."

We began walking away once more. Apparently Jenika was getting desperate. Maybe she did make a mistake when she left him basically at the alter but that was a decision she was gonna have to live with. 

"If you two are so in love then why aren't you married? If she's so much better than me, what's keeping you from making things permanent?" Jenika yelled making me sigh

This girl is grasping at straws now! I almost feel bad for her. 

"Or are you scared of commitment? Or are you, Lilja, afraid he'll realize what a cunt you are and find a real woman to satisfy him?" Chuck added in

"Who the hell would want to be permanently attached to either of them?" Christina sneered

"I'm gonna kill those bitches. All three of them." I said making Tim smile down at me

He turned around to look at the trio of sad little idiots before us. His arm was still around me as he began speaking.

"Our decisions are not about being scared of commitment. And for your information, I did find a real woman who can satisfy me. Everything I need **and** everything I want." Tim stated, "You don't walk away from someone you agreed to spend the rest of your life with then come crawling back like everything's fine. **I.moved.on.** She moved on. Now leave us alone."

We turned, _AGAIN_ , and began walking down the strip. I was hopeful they would leave us alone. Tim's arm was still around my waist which made me smile. We stopped walking because his phone buzzed with new text's. 

"Seeing if you have enough money to even get a cheap wedding here in Vegas?" Christina sneered

I rolled my eyes. One of these days, I'm gonna kill this little skank-bag. 

"What's the matter, Tim? Having second thoughts about her?" Jenika stated as she put her hand on his chest, "I might take you back if you leave her now."

I was so proud when he jerked away from her. Neither of us realized we'd stopped in front of a small little wedding chapel. He wanted to check his message in case it was something important.

 **"Touch.Him.Again."** I dared her

"Jenika, I'm only going to tell you this one more time. I've moved on. You and I will never be together again. You need to deal with it." Tim stated angrily

"Can't you afford at least the simplest of engagement and wedding rings? You really want to marry someone who can't even afford a fucking ring?" Chuck taunted

"I can take care of her with no problems." Tim asserted, "In every way."

Have I stated how hot it is when Tim smirks with that raised eyebrow? Because it really is!

"You need to make a decision, Timothy." Jenika stated, "Right now."

I started laughing. He's already told her he's moved on. It's been implied we're together. Is she really that stupid? 

"I already did." Tim said

"I mean it, Tim! Her or me!" Jenika demanded, stomping her foot for effect.

Before I knew what was happening, I was being dragged into the wedding chapel. I think I heard gasps from the trio outside.

"Fuck 'em. Let's do it." He simply stated

"What? What about the guys? My sisters? **YOUR MOTHER?** " I exclaimed, unable to keep the shock off my face

"We'll deal with it later. Come on." He said as he pulled me to the little receptionist

"Welcome! Do you know what you want for your wedding or do you need to see our books?" She asked with a warm smile

"Uh." I said

"We have some pretty nice packages or you can pick and choose what you want." She told us as she took out a large 3-ring binder from under the counter

"Don't do this because you want to make a point to those idiots. Don't let them goad you into doing something you don't actually want to do." I said, afraid that this was going to be something he regretted doing later on

"They're not goading me into anything." He quickly stated

Tim and I began flipping through it. My mind was racing. Did those idiots push him into marriage? Is this what he really wanted? Is this what I really wanted? Were we going to regret this decision once the high from the excitement wears off? If I get married, I don't want to go through the pain of divorce.

"Lilja, I'm not having second thoughts. I'm.... we're....." He said, stuttering over his words as he started to get a bit choked up, "You are without a doubt the most amazing woman I've ever met. You are so strong and loving. There are so many things that I adore and admire about you. _Please don't back out._ "

He whispered the last sentence. Looking into those emotion-filled chocolate orbs all my doubts just melted away.

"Tim, I..... I can't promise to be a good wife. I'm not even sure I'm a good girlfriend." I said and his face fell, "But you make me feel weird. You're always the one I call when I need comforting and you do that so well. I don't know how to love, really. But I'm always so calm and relaxed around you."

I started choking up as I spoke. He pulled me into him, wrapping his arms tightly around me, and rested his head on mine.

"Baby, as long as you'll talk to me about anything that's going on with you, we can work through it. Together. People think love is easy but it takes more than love. It takes communication. It takes compromise. It takes patience. It takes a partnership." He told me

"I just don't want you to regret this later. We weren't.... I mean.... Things have been..." I stuttered, unable to really articulate what I wanted to say

"I know how I feel. I didn't lie when I said I didn't think I'd ever move on from Jenika. The moment I saw you, I was attracted to you. The more I got to know you, the deeper the feelings became. It wasn't about physical attraction anymore. I know we've only known one another a short time but..... this feels right." He said with a smile

"So, we're really gonna do this?" I asked

"If you'll have me." He smiled

"Well, I'm not a dumbass blond. I'd be stupid if I didn't." I chuckled making him laugh

He was right. Once I got out of my head, this felt right. Kissing him felt right. Hugging him felt right. Being near him, everything. I wasn't sure I knew what romantic love actually was but I knew that I cared deeply for this man. We picked out what we wanted for this little wedding as the 'ding' from the bell above the door could be heard. I didn't bother to look to see who'd come in.

I was taken back to a room where I would get ready. We had no rings or "wedding attire" but we were gonna do this in what we were wearing already. They had rings we could use for the ceremony. I put my phone on silent so it wouldn't interrupt the wedding. We'd chosen something simple. We'd work out an actual wedding later. Right now it was just about making it official. When it was our turn, we went through all the spiel before the vows. We were both already getting emotional. Finally, it was time for Tim to speak his vows.

"Lilja, I will take you in my arms when you need to be held. I will listen when you need to talk. I promise to always be your biggest fan and your partner in crime. I will laugh with you in times of joy, and comfort you in times of sadness. I will love you for who you are, and help you to become all that you can be. I vow not just to grow old together, but to grow together." Tim said making us both cry

It was so sweet, especially since we were coming up with our vows on the fly! What could I say to him? There were no words for what he's done for me. Now it was my turn. Before I knew it, words were flowing.

"Tim, you have made me feel more loved than I ever thought possible. Today, I give you all that I am, and all that I have. Just as I give you my hand to hold today, I give you my heart, my faith, my life. Today, I join my life with yours. Wherever you go, I will go. Whatever you face, I will face. 

You know me better than anyone else in this world and somehow still you manage to love me. You are my best friend and one true love. There is still a part of me today that cannot believe that I'm the one who gets to marry you." I said, having to stop a few times because I was so emotional

The preacher led us in exchanging our rings. I think we were both shaking! Of course, we were also both still crying from our sweet vows. Once he'd placed my ring on my finger, we were finally announced as husband-and-wife. Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Foust. Committed to one another. Married. Legally! He pulled me in for a passionate kiss and for a second (or fifteen) I forgot where we were! Before we were allowed to leave, we had official papers to sign. This marriage certificate was legal and binding in all fifty states. We handed the chapel's rings back over and left.


	24. Couple's night out

"Let's go out tonight. Just you and me. We'll celebrate on our own." Tim said as we walked, hand-in-hand, down the strip

"Are we going to tell the others?" I inquired

"No. Let's surprise them with a wedding." He grinned down at me

"And how exactly do you suggest we do that?" I asked, cocking my eyebrow at him

"I don't know. I haven't gotten that far in the plans yet!" He stated making me laugh

We slipped into silence as we strolled. Hmm, surprise everyone with a wedding? How on Earth could we do that? Oh well, I'll think about that later. Right now I just want to enjoy my new husband's company. Eventually we headed back to the hotel. He walked me to my room and said he'd pick me up at 7pm and that I should dress up for our evening out. I smiled sheepishly at him. He cupped my face in his hand before pressing his soft lips to mine. I melted then and there. My arms wrapped around his neck as we just stood there kissing. We finally broke away smiling.

As I slipped into my room, I sighed. We had actually done it. Married. I was now a married woman! Then I began to panic because I didn't have anything to wear that was worthy of "going out". With a heavy sigh, I took my phone and wallet and headed downstairs. To my surprise, the hotel had a shop so I darted into it. Some of these dresses were just gaudy and very ugly. There were a few cute dresses but nothing jumped out at me. Honestly, I didn't want to spend the rest of my afternoon dress shopping. 

Just as I was about to give up, I spotted it. The dress was "plain" but it still struck me. It was ankle-length, one shouldered, and had a slit on the left side that went a good ways up the leg. It was perfect! I snagged it before anyone else could then started searching for shoes. A little bit of digging and I found a suitable pair. Very happy with my finds, I reluctantly paid out (and cringed at the price tags). I was humming on my way back to my room. How had one thing just made my whole world brighter?

It was going to be torture waiting on 7pm! Around 5:30pm, I decided to hop in the shower to clean up and make sure everything important was shaved. The whole time, I was humming some unknown tune. I'm not sure there was a time in my life that I was actually this happy! Having cleaned up, I got out of the shower and began drying my hair. Why was I suddenly nervous? Because this was the first time he and I had gone out by ourselves? Because we were going out as man and wife? Because there was the possibility of us consummating our marriage?

My hair was sufficiently dry. Now to brush and style it. Slight curls should do the trick this evening. Red lace cheeky panties. Bright red glossy lipstick and silver smokey eyeshadow. Amazing dress and shoes. Spritz of my favorite perfume. Now, the waiting game. It was, thankfully, close to time for him to show up. As the minutes ticked, I got more and more nervous. I sent a text to Taimi that they were on their own this evening. Shortly after I sent my text, there came a knock at the door. With a deep breath, I strolled over and opened the door.

"Holy Mary, mother of God." He breathed, eyes taking me in, "You are absolutely stunning."

He was wearing a pair of dark jeans, his boots, a black button up shirt and black blazer. He looked damned good too!

"You don't look too bad yourself, Mr. Foust." I replied with a smirk

"If you had been wearing that the first night we met, I would have proposed right then and there!" He said, still looking me over, "Are you ready?"

"I've been ready." I quietly stated with a slight blush

He held his arm out for me to take. It made me chuckle, and feel quite proud, that he would keep looking over at me. He made me feel like I was worth something. As we rode the elevator down to the lobby, he turned to me.

"I mean it, Lilja. You are absolutely breath-taking. I am very much a lucky man." He smiled at me

"I am the lucky one. You could be married to Jenika right now and I would only be able to admire you from afar." I retaliated

"Hey Tim! We're making..... holy hell!" Rob started before he glanced over at me

"What?" Adam questioned

"Sorry guys. We've got plans this evening." Tim smiled

Adam just let his eyes roam and wasn't even hiding it. I expected to be stared out but not really by him! Rob asked to take our picture which made me giggle. We stood there, his right arm around my waist (and his hand resting on my hip) and left my arm around his lower back, very close together as Rob took the picture. He smiled at us both as he showed us what he'd just taken. Tim asked Rob to send that picture to him.

"Hey, where's Austin?" I asked as I just now noticed he was the only one not present

"Said he was busy this evening." Chance shrugged, "Probably just wants a night away from us!"

"Alright guys, we'll see you later!" Tim said with a smile

"Have a good night! Behave yourselves!" Rob called after us making us both laugh at the giant teddy bear

I was feeling very sexy tonight so I added a little extra sway to my hips. Tim didn't say where we were going so I had no clue what the plans were for the evening. He hailed us a cab and gave the address to wherever he was taking me. We arrived at some big venue which confused me. My gentlemanly southern boy held out his arm for me to take. Walking around with him made me feel like a celebrity! We walked through the lobby to where a guy was taking tickets. Tim gave his name so the kid looked it up on his tablet. We were allowed to go find our seats.

I was shocked to discover he was taking me to Mystère by Cirque du Soleil! We got settled and waited for the show to start. He wanted to take a selfie so we scooted closer together. Once he had the picture, he showed it to me. I could have sworn we were both glowing! We sat there talking quietly about everything and nothing. The house lights went down so we turned our attention to the stage. He grabbed my hand and laced our fingers together. That's how we sat the entire show! My mind was blown by the production and performance of this show. It was just incredible!

We were walking out of the theatre still holding hands. He hailed us another cab. Where were we going next? We pulled up at Intrigue by Wynn. Being the gentleman that he is, Tim helped me out of the cab. We were going to their nightclub it seems. There was even a table reserved for us! We sat down and I just looked around. This place was amazing! This place was bathed in state-of-the-art light and sound! We could even step out onto the patio to enjoy an up-close vantage of the breathtaking waterfall and pyrotechnics.

Which we did to take selfies. Oh my, these photos were coming out fantastic, too! We were just standing out on the patio watching the waterfall and enjoying each other's company. This has been the craziest day of my life! A slow song came over the speakers so he pulled me back inside. There wasn't anyone dancing except for us. He pulled me close to him as we danced. Not a word was spoken but I don't think we needed words right now. 

The next song that played was Josh Turner's _"Your Man"_. Home Free had done a cover of it and Tim sang lead. As we danced, Tim began singing it to me. All I could do was smile like an idiot and stare at him. My heart just melted as he sang to me, holding me in his arms, with the world virtually gone. It was just Tim and I dancing. He was such a romantic and any doubts I'd had about eloping had faded from my mind. A fast song came on afterwards so we just walked back to our seat.

"Thank you." I quietly stated, making him look at me

"For what?" He asked

"For caring enough about to me to see past all the walls I've put up over the years. For being man enough to ..." I said choking up

He grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze, "When Jenika left me, I was devastated. I thought I'd never love again. She was my whole world besides the band. I was so depressed for a while although I joked and laughed and smiled on stage and with fans. We were engaged 5 months. I didn't know what I had done wrong. What did I do to make her just up and leave and call everything off?

I wasn't a bad person. At least I didn't think I was. I never cheated, never hit her, nothing. I didn't understand it. I'd been talking to Duane and he said something that I just couldn't comprehend at the time. He told me, _"Son, maybe she was removed from your life because God is about to send you the woman you are really supposed to be with."_ I couldn't believe because she and I had been together for years, ya know.

Sitting here with you now, I guess he was right. The moment I saw you in the lobby of the hotel, I wasn't depressed any more. I wasn't angry. I didn't know who you were or even if I'd ever even get to talk to you. Then we were asked to have dinner with the Oaks that night after Duane told us about this project these college students were doing. My heart leapt into my throat when I saw you walk up."

"Oh my God, Tim!" I gushed as I teared up again, "I saw you guys talking with Duane but we had no clue who you were. Then we locked eyes. Something in the pit of my stomach started doing flips."

"That night that we showed up at the same bar as you, the one where we saw you belly dancing for the first time, it changed something for me. Austin and Adam were going to play pool or something and stopped when Chuck and his girlfriend were talking with you. They relayed what y'all had said. I blew it off as you just trying to get to him but something in me wanted what you said to him to be how you felt." He confessed

"Oh my they heard that?!" I blushed

He laughed and squeezed my hand again, "Yeah. Austin was laughing so hard it was hard for him to breath."

"Well, I did mean it. All of it, really." I confessed with a slight blush, "Honestly, I never believed that I was deserving of love or someone as amazing as you."

"Oh darlin', you deserve so much more. I just want to make you happy. To show you things that you've never experienced before. To make you laugh." He said before leaning over and kissing my cheek

"You do, Tim! I have never been as happy as I am when I'm with you guys. I've never laughed this much. When you got angry with me for not telling you I'd been stabbed, it upset me. Most of the time I don't give a rats' ass if I've pissed someone off. But you. You being upset with me really got to me and I never understood why. My intentions weren't to upset you. On the contrary, I was trying to make sure you didn't worry about me.

We're not really used to having a big support system. It's been us three for so long, ya know. I still tend to behave like it's only us three, I guess. You keep me laughing and always make me feel relaxed." I told him

"That's love, sweetheart." He chuckled

"Tim.... I don't really know if I love you. I know I care deeply about you. I know I enjoy the time we spend together. I know I enjoy seeing you perform. I know I...." I trailed

"I understand. The way you ladies grew up, I understand. I know I love you. Way more than I thought I loved Jenika. Whenever you're injured, my blood boils and I want to beat whoever hurt you into oblivion. When you call me because you had a nightmare, I want to rush over and just pull you into my arms and shield you from everything. I care for you, too, Lilja. I do love the time we get to spend together." Tim said, "I love you. With everything I have."

"You're making me cry." I said with a chuckle

He wiped the stray tears with his thumb. We sat there just looking at one another before he leaned over and kissed me. There was those funny feelings again. I liked kissing him. Was this love? We pulled away and both of us were smiling. 

"Are you still happy about eloping?" He questioned

"Of course!" I said, "Are.... Are you having second thoughts already?"

"Hell no! I wouldn't change this decision for the world!" He laughed, taking my hand and kissing it

We sat there having some drinks before we decided we should probably go get something to eat. This hotel had a nice restaurant so we headed to it. The rest of our evening was filled with laughter and talks of an actual wedding. He was more country, I was more rock/metal/punk. My phone dinged with a text and I was hesitant to check it. With a deep breath I took my phone out to see who had texted me. I squealed when I saw that it was my dad. His text made me smile so Tim asked me about it.

I told him what my dad had said, asking how we were doing, how our project was coming along, and whether or not we were making friends. Tim chuckled and said he _"hoped you were making friends."_ I laughed before blowing him a kiss. Sitting back in my chair, an idea began to form. 

"Honey, have you guys ever been to Finland?" I asked

"I don't think so. Why?" He answered

"Well, our dad's family are all Finnish. They live around Helsinki but have a huge cabin up North that they go to for Christmas." I replied

"Go on." He said as our food was brought

"Well I know my Mummo, or as you would call her grandmother, would be overjoyed to throw a winter wedding in Finland. If we can get the band and their families to come from Christmas, we can surprise them there with a wedding." I thoughtfully said

"Hmm." Was all he said since he had a mouthful of food

"Of course, we can invite anyone else you want there. I'd hate to see your mother left out. They'll get to enjoy a new experience, some amazing winter activities, and then BAM! be apart of our wedding!" I giggled

"It might be hard to convince the others to go to Finland." He said, "Besides, flights will be really expensive and with Rob & Adam having children..."

"You let us worry about getting y'all there. You work on convincing them to go. We have Santa Claus' village and real reindeer! Everyone loves Santa's village, even adults! I'm telling you, everyone will have an amazing time." I said

"Well Cerise would certainly love to see Santa!" Tim chuckled

"We can call my dad when we get back to the hotel. I know he'll still be up and I can look up stuff so that you'll have something to take to the guys." I said

He smiled at me before I finally started eating. We talked more of a "winter wedding" with snow and how it would actually come together. Already being married was going to remain our little secret. I asked him what day he thought would be best and he said that he and Jenika had been set to marry on the 28th. I frowned but when I looked up at him he was smiling. He said that should be our day too. Not because they were set to marry then but so that it would be a happy day for him and not one he was dreading.

How could I tell him no?! We definitely didn't want anything cheesy but something elegant and yet one our friends and loved ones would remember. Mummo would be better at planning than I would! We were going back and forth throughout dinner. He wanted to dance again so after he paid for our delicious meal, we headed back to the lounge. Have I ever said what a great dancer he actually is? We spent the rest of the night dancing, having some drinks, and just chatting. It was nice. 

I didn't know what to expect as we headed back to the hotel. Would we, you know, consummate our marriage? Would we act like we weren't married? I'm sure some of the guys were wondering how our evening went on our official "first date". Apparently, my wonderful husband had other plans for us. Although we made it back to our hotel, we weren't stopping on our floor. We went up and up and up. To a Honeymoon suite! I was giggling as he opened the door then picked me up bridal style!

Now, our hotel wasn't on the strip (which we all liked) and it was fabulous. If I thought our regular rooms were something, this honeymoon suite just blew my mind! We had an actual kitchen. There was a living room area which was separated from the bedroom. We had our own balcony that looked out over the Strip. There were rose petals on the floor leading up to the King-sized bed. There was a chilled bottle of Champagne on the bedside table and candles had been lit already. There was even a bouquet of red, pink, and white roses in a beautiful vase sitting on the dresser.

"Well, the staff definitely went above and beyond what I requested!" Tim chuckled

"You didn't have to do this." I said

"You're my wife. Get used to being spoiled!" He grinned at me, effortlessly slipping his arms around my waist, "Besides, this is our honeymoon night! We'll plan an extravagant honeymoon later."


	25. Consummation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is X rated for adult content. If you skip this chapter, you're not going to be missing anything important. ;)

His blazer had already been discarded by this point and I had just slipped out of my heels. He began kissing my neck so I closed my eyes and just reveled in the feeling. This was something I could definitely get used to! My hands began tugging at his shirt in an effort to get it un-tucked from his jeans. With my heart racing, I slipped my hands underneath the fabric with my fingertips barely grazing the flesh of his tummy. While I was slowly running my hands over his stomach, his lips found my neck. 

It didn't take him long to find that spot. A moan escaped my throat that I didn't honestly believe came from me and I pressed myself to him even more. He liked that and gently bit my neck making me moan again. His hands ran down my sides and over my ass where he gave it a light squeeze. It was his turn to moan this time. His.... excitement.... was very clear as he pressed himself to me this time.

 _"I want you."_ He whispered in my ear making me shiver before lifting me up off the ground

I squeaked in surprise but quickly wrapped my arms around his neck. He started kissing my throat so I closed my eyes again. His lips felt amazing to my hot skin and I quickly realized his kiss was like some weird drug and I was rapidly getting addicted. He gently laid me down on the bed and stood up to unbutton his untucked shirt. 

Now I don't like men who could be mistaken for a werewolf. Tim had a little chest hair, just enough to let you know he was a man but not so much that you wished you had a razor to find his chest. His chocolate eyes bore into me with a passion and desire I'd never seen before in all my years of existence. I bit my lip as I looked him over. He beckoned me too him so I stood up. Oh this was going to be a really fun night! 

He helped me out of my dress, tossing it aside somewhere. Now, he's seen me in my bathing suit. I guess that's different than bras and panties because he stood back to admire me in the red lace set I was currently wearing. I sat back down on the edge of the bed and then scooted to the head of the bed. 

He crawled up the bed, never breaking eye contact with me, so he could crash his lips to mine again. Suddenly the desperate need to touch him, hold him, feel him, taste him over-took my brain. I let my hands roam where they wished while I kissed and nibbled him like he was doing to me. I wanted him as badly as it seemed he wanted me! Somehow, I ended up standing on my knees, of course he was in the same position, which made it much easier for him to help me out of my bra. This was the first time I'd be completely exposed to him. 

"I did not realize you had your nipples pierced." He chuckled, flicking each very erect bud and eliciting a moan from me in response, "That is totally hot. You are full of surprises, my dear!"

My breathing had started to get a bit ragged. His warm, wet mouth encased my right tit making me close my eyes and throw my head back. Oh Lord this man is going to kill me! He gently pushed me back onto my back where he went to work kissing what felt like every single inch of my body. He ran his index finger just inside the band of my panties. 

Biting my lip wasn't working in my feeble attempts to keep from making noises and as he began nibbling on my inner thighs I began eliciting noises I didn't think was possible! Suddenly feeling very aggressive, I pushed him off me which made him look at me with concern. I grinned mischievously before pushing him onto his back. Licking my lips, I started my own oral assault on him. 

Kissing, licking, nibbling everywhere I possibly could. I wanted the world to know this man belonged to me! Hell, I wanted **him** to know he belonged to me! My nibbling made him moan in response and I really liked that sound. I moved to straddle him, pressing my breasts into his chest, and he bucked his hips up into me. Leaning down I whispered in his ear,

_"You're way over dressed..... we should do something about that."_

In one swift movement he flipped us so he could strip himself of the rest of his clothing. I looked him over very appreciatively. He was a gorgeous man, both inside and out. He grinned up at me as he stuck his thumbs into the leg holes of my panties and quickly pulled them down and off me. The maddening look of lust flashing across his handsome face was all it took. I reached out for him, wanting him to be near me, be in me, surround me. He quickly found his place in my arms, hands doing their own roaming. I ran my fingers through his hair as he nibbled on my neck. When he inserted a finger into my womanhood, my nails went straight down his back. I hoped I didn't hurt him but I couldn't help myself. 

Once he'd worked me up into such a frenzy that I couldn't even make coherent sentences he stopped what he was doing to look for his jeans. Cocking my eyebrow at him, he opened his wallet and retrieved what he had been looking for. I'm glad he was mature enough to think of protection because at this point all I cared about was feeling him inside me. 

He crawled over to me once more, licking his fingers of my juices. I cupped his face with my hands and pulled him into a passionate kiss. While our tongues were battling for dominance he entered me with one quick thrust. I moaned loudly into his mouth while he gave me a few moments to adjust to the feeling of him. My God what a feeling it was!!! I lightly drug my nails down his back so he started thrusting at an insanely slow pace.

"Fasssssssssssssssssssssssster." I purred in his ear

"Your wish is my command." He replied, quickening his pace

I wrapped my legs around his waist allowing him deeper penetration. When I did that he was able to hit that very special spot. With him hitting it over and over and over, it took me just a few short minutes before my body began to stiffen and shake with the impending orgasm. He captured my lips with his own right as stars burst behind my eyes and my body jerked with the best orgasm I'd ever had. He let me recover without reaching his own climax. 

We were laying there, him on his back holding me firmly to his chest. Once my breathing had returned to normal, he started kissing and caressing me again. Did I actually land a man who had a sex drive that could rival mine?! I let my right hand trail down his chest, down his stomach, and down to his manhood. The gasp was not lost on me as I began to slowly stroke him back to full attention, if you get my drift. He was moaning and running his hand through my hair. Oh, did I want to remember that sound forever! He pouted when I removed my hand.

"Ugh... .baby..." He moaned

"Sit." I told him

He scooted to a sitting position so I straddled him, kind of sticking my tits in his face. He positioned himself just right so that we'd both get pleasure from me riding him like bucking bronco. Hell, I had to hang onto the headboard for leverage. For the first time in my life, my partner brought me to a second orgasm. To say I was impressed was an understatement! I began squeezing my Kegal muscles until I felt his body begin to tense up. With a grin, I leaned back on my hands and began doing belly rolls.

"Sweet Jesus...." He exclaimed right before he shot his load

We collapsed on the bed again and I was all sweaty and panting. Of course, he was too and in the candle light he looked like a Greek God. His lips crashed mine as I tried to regain my breathing. I nuzzled my face in his sweaty neck and breathed in the scent of sweat, sex, and his after shave. His scent drove me crazy! We remained quiet for a while. I was beginning to wonder if he'd fallen asleep or not!

"Lilja?" He quietly said

"Mmm, yes?" 

"This was...... never have I...... and then...." He trailed

"Me, too, baby. Me too." I stated with a soft chuckle, "Today has been amazing and I'll never forget it."

He kissed my forehead and then my lips. We started kissing and caressing and letting our hands roam once more. This time it was a much slower pace. This time we were taking our time to explore. Feather-light touches and kisses. My heart was beating faster again as he trailed kisses from my throat down my chest and taking the time to enjoy my enormous breasts. It felt so good that I arched my back.

He kissed his way lower and lower. I was already starting to tremble. Then he began kissing his way back up. Such soft lips, he had! I was moaning again by the time he made it to my jaw. Unable to take it, I pulled him down for a passionate kiss. He bit my lower lip so I ran my nails down his back again. I guess he liked it because he pushed himself into me. When he began nuzzling my face with his neck, I began planting kisses all over his neck and shoulder. I actually felt the rumble from his chest as he let out this glorious growl. 

_"I want you."_ I whispered in his ear

He proceeded to bite my shoulder. Just like the other time he bit me, he drew blood and I knew there would be his teeth marks. At this moment in time I didn't care if we left love bites & marks. What's the point of stifling passion?! He moved my right leg to rest on his hip before he entered me in one thrust. There was no stopping the scream that I let escape. My right arm was around his back and my left hand was running through his soft hair. Our lips were connected in an impassioned kiss as he pounded into me.

I began kissing his chest and neck just wanting to feel every inch of him I could. My body began to tense up with my impeding release. Moans were heard and I don't think they were all from me! It was building up so I captured his lips once more before my release hit me. When it did, I stilled and tried to breath again. He finally let himself reach climax shortly after I did. Exhausted and spent, he fell on me making me chuckle. 

I was just running my hands through his hair as he tried to regain his breathing. A few minutes later, he rolled onto his back and then pulled me into him. I laid my head on his shoulder and draped my right arm across his stomach. We were just laying there in silence. Suddenly he sat up and turned the lights off. He laid back down and we got resettled. 

"I love you, Lilja." He said before yawning 

Yawns were contagious, damnit! 

"I love you too, Tim."


	26. Talks

The next morning I woke up to a strange sensation. There was a nice, warm body cuddled up with me. There was an arm firmly around my waist whose fingers were interlocked with mine. There was a leg situated in between mine. There was an arm underneath my neck. I was confused for a moment. Until the events of yesterday came flooding back. I smiled as I thought about it. We'd eloped. We were married. And last night we consummated our union. He was mine and I was his, legally. 

"Good morning, beautiful." I heard a deep voice say from behind me

"Mmm....morning." I replied, unable to keep the smile off my face

"How'd you sleep?" He asked

"Better than I have in a really long time." I said as I moved to lay on my other side and face him, "What about you?"

"Same. I am still so happy about yesterday." He said as he leaned over to kiss me, "And I hope you feel the same."

"I do. Whole-heartedly. Although, I would like to get a quick shower. Hopefully I can sneak back down to my room to change for the day." I replied

"I, uh, I have a bag packed for us already." He chuckled

"You thought of everything, didn't you?" I laughed making him smile

"Why don't you go get a bubble bath going for us." He suggested as he untangled himself

I reluctantly climbed out of bed and walked into the amazing bathroom. Oh I want a bathroom like this in my house! The tub was jetted! This was basically a jacuzzi tub! My happy squeals seemed to amuse him. I got the temperature to a tolerable level. We had fallen asleep naked so there was no need of stripping out of clothes. As the tub was filling up, I went to fetch a couple towels. There was even a small bottle of bubbles so I squeezed some into the water and watched as it began to foam up. After stepping into the tub, I turned the jets on and leaned back. This was heaven! 

"Looks like someone is enjoying themselves without me!" Tim exclaimed with a smile

"This tub is absolutely amazing!" I sighed happily

"Is there any room in that tub for me?" He questioned as he sat down on the side

"Always!" I giggled making him smile at me

So there we were. Lounging in a bubble bath together and talking about what we'd put in our dream house. We talked about the property we wanted, what we'd put on it, and of course a studio for him to record in. My sisters and I had never lived apart before and I was worried about that. He chuckled and said we could build a smaller house for my sisters on the property if that would make me feel better. Wasn't he the most amazing man ever?!

Once we'd actually bathed, we climbed out so we could get dressed. We'd be leaving after the show tonight. Home Free would be performing this evening and I definitely wanted to catch the show. As we were leaving the bathroom, Tim's phone rang. I kissed his cheek before I walked around him to get into the bag that he'd packed. I found some of my favorite ripped jeans, a women's Home Free t-shirt, clean socks & undies, and my combat boots that I wore a lot. 

The shirt didn't quite fit so I cut the sleeves off and then cut a 'V' into the neck giving my boobs some room. I made sure not to cut into the design on the front because I didn't want to take away from the shirt itself. He was on the phone and it sounded like he was talking with Luke. He smiled at me as he nodded his head approvingly. Looking at my phone, I had several new texts. Oh well, I'll deal with them later! I was gathering up my clothing and shoes from last night and stuffing them in the bag when he finally hung up.

He asked me to turn around, which confused me some, but I stood up and turned around. He was grinning at me which made me blush. He took a picture of me standing there with my ankles crossed, looking away from him and blushing. Quickly walking over to me, he wrapped his arms around my waist.

"You are so beautiful. I am so glad I get to call you mine." He told me before leaning down and kissing me

"I guess we need to get on with our day." I chuckled

"Yeah. We have some interviews to do and rehearsal." He said

He threw all of his stuff in the bag as I made sure there was nothing else left behind. I took the bag as he opened the door for me. We never even touched the Champagne but I did pick up a few of the rose petals from the floor. He walked me to my room so I could drop off the bag. Kirsi called me and asked if I was going to come downstairs for breakfast. It made me laugh as I looked over at Tim. He smiled as he rubbed his belly. Replying that yes I would be downstairs in a few minutes was enough for her so we hung up.

He and I walked downstairs together. As we walked through the lobby, I began to get nervous we'd run into one of our three least favorite idiots. All the Home Free fellas were already there except Chance. All of the Oaks were there, too, except Richard. Everyone greeted us as he and I sat down. I looked over at him and smiled. 

"How was your evening? I understand some of you went out on a date last night!" Duane stated making me and Taimi giggle

"It was a wonderful evening. Thanks for asking, Duane." I replied, still smiling

"I had lots of fun, too." Taimi replied

"Wait! Where did you go?" I asked my sister

She looked over at Austin who suddenly seemed to be a bit nervous.

"Austin, I love you guys. I really do. My sister hasn't giggled like this since we were in high school. But if you hurt her in any way, I promise you..." I stated

"Sis!" Taimi scolded me

"This is the nicest spiel I've given any male that either of you have ever dated. Normally I'd jump straight into the things I have no problem doing to someone if they hurt the people I care about." I said, glaring at her

"It's ok, Lilja. I understand your protectiveness of your sisters and am willing to take any punishment I deserve if I don't treat her right." Austin said as he grabbed my sister's hand

I cocked my eyebrow at him, "I'll give it you. Most guys either get offended or back off from dating them. You take it like a man, it seems. I approve."

"Like she needs permission from her sister for dating someone." A fellow student huffed as they interjected themselves into our conversation 

"I love that Lilja is so protective of us. Any male that gets upset over that isn't worth our time to begin with." Kirsi defended me, "And I will say that I am impressed with how you handled that Austin. A true gentleman and man."

"I was taught better than to mistreat a woman. I think all of us were." He replied

"So what did you happy couples do last night?" Joe inquired, "And what about you, Kirsi? What did you do?"

Did he just refer to us as couples?

"I went back to the pool for a while. Watched movies and just relaxed." Kirsi stated

"Tim took me to see 'Mystere' by Cirque du Soleil! It was amazing! Oh my gosh you have got to go check it out sometime! Then we went to this club at another hotel for drinks and dancing. They had some pretty cool pyrotechnics and a lighted waterfall!" I gushed

"Austin took me to some of the more famous hotels to see their attractions. It was a lot of fun and we got some really awesome pics!" Taimi said

"What did y'all see?" Kirsi asked

"We went to the Bellagio to see their fountains. At the Venetian we rode the gondola. We checked out the views atop the Eiffel Tower at Paris, Las Vegas which was just stunning, by the way! Oh my gosh, we went to check out the Mirage Hotel's Volcano!" Taimi gushed happily

"Sounds like you had fun!" Joe said with a smile

"It was! I'd love to take my sisters out to see all this stuff." Taimi replied as the waitress came to take orders

"You'll have to show me all the photos you took!" Kirsi stated, "Oh, Lilja did you get my texts?" 

"I haven't checked, honestly. Why? What's up?" I asked, looking down the table at my sister

"We have a couple little projects to do. One is making a music video for a song that doesn't already have one. Another one is concert photography. I forgot what the last one is." She explained

"Hmm. Do we have to do one for each band or can we pick one band to work with?" Taimi asked

"I already called and asked. They said we can just pick one band to work with." Kirsi replied making sigh happily

"Well, I guess I know what we'll be doing the rest of the day." Taimi chuckled

Home Free had things they had to get to so as we were leaving the restaurant, Tim pulled me into his arms. With an almost shy smile he pressed his lips to mine. I was quick to kiss him back! This was absolutely heaven! When we pulled away, I noticed that Austin was kissing Taimi. It made me smile. The three of us walked to the elevators to head back up to our room.

We had to figure out what band and what song to do. Then there was the concert photography. Having three bands made things a bit more difficult for us. As we sat there discussing what band we should pick for the music video, I stopped them and said we should photograph all three bands live. All three of us pick a band and we photograph that band live. Whichever one, photography wise, we liked best was the one we'd submit. Taimi nodded in agreement. Kirsi asked what would happen if we liked all three. _"Then we'll draw straws or something"_ I retorted making them both laugh.

We got back to talking about the music video. Kirsi didn't want to do the Oaks and neither did Taimi. Well, we've still got two bands to decide from. Kirsi was kind of leaning towards Shinedown and their song _"Nowhere Kids"_. I loved the song and thought we might be able to do something great with it. Taimi was biting her lower lip and said she'd love to shoot a video for Home Free's _"Devil went down to Georgia"_. It would be different and cool and she knew it would be a huge hit.

"You know there's fiddles in that right?" Kirsi exclaimed

"You realize that violin and fiddle is the same damned instrument? All I've got to do is actually learn to play the song and I can do it." I stated

"Ok smartass. They have Charlie doing the Devil's parts. How are we gonna pull that off? Especially since Tim already has parts in the song." Kirsi replied

"Hmm." Was all I said

"I'll text Luke and see what he can do for us. Maybe he'll have an idea about that." Taimi stated

"So what was this other project we had to do?" I asked

"Oh! Show posters. I've got the details in my email." Kirsi said as she leaned over to fetch her laptop

My phone dinged with a next text and I wondered who it could be. Tim had sent me a selfie of him blowing me a kiss. All I could do was smile at him. Then I remembered I had to talk to my dad. I wrote down the information on our projects before excusing myself. Once I was safely in my room, I called my dad. We chatted for a while before I brought up the wedding Tim and I wanted to surprise everyone with. For a minute I thought my dad was mad that we were already talking about a wedding when I hadn't even introduced Tim to my dad yet!

Thankfully, my dad wasn't upset. Just a bit shocked that we were already wanting to marry after knowing each other for such a short time. He put me on speaker so he could talk with my Mummo about putting together a wedding. He had me tell her what I'd discussed with Tim about bringing everyone to Finland for Christmas and then surprising them with a wedding on the 28th. Just as I thought, Mummo was ecstatic to put together a wedding for me. We talked about what Tim and I had discussed for this small (ok small-ish), intimate wedding.

I'd have an exact number of people to them as soon as I could making my Mummo laugh. She said she'd make sure there was room for everyone. My dad said he'd have a private jet big enough for us all waiting in Dallas and that he'd make sure the ones we wanted at the wedding would be here in time so as to not spoil the surprise. I thanked them both as I bid my Mummo goodbye. My dad, in only the way my dad did things for us, asked what I wanted as a wedding present.

Just to be able to show them our homeland and to be married was my reply. He asked about Tim's home which made me laugh. I confessed about the conversation we'd had about our ideal home and property and how I'd love to have room on said property for a place for Kirsi and Taimi. Tim was living in Nashville but he was from Texas. Dad said he'd figure out something as a wedding present and suddenly I felt very suspicious of what he was going to do. 

Having that settled, we bid goodbye. Now all that was left was Tim convincing the others to come with us to Finland! I laid back on my bed and closed my eyes. Yesterday had been an incredible whirlwind. Emotions were running high. Although we had never explicitly stated a desire to date, even though we were basically dating without being 'official', it was a surprise to me that he felt strongly enough to even consider marriage. Even if I still think the Three Stooges, lmao, had pushed him into it. Hell, even I hadn't really considered marriage


	27. Family

It was December but the temperature was pretty decent in the South. Tim and I had been doing pretty good at keeping our little "secret" a secret. The closer it got to Christmas, the antsier I got. Not only were we taking Tim and the band (and their families) home with us to Finland but we (Taimi and I at least) were getting to introduce our family to our boyfriends. I was excited for everyone to meet. Of course, I was even more excited for the festivities after Christmas. I couldn't wait to see everyone's face as we surprised them with mine and Tim's wedding!

We were doing the last of our filming before we officially took off for "Christmas Break". Today's shoot would mostly be about my character and Richard's. I was a bit nervous since these scenes were kind of special. This was one of the few scenes where there were no props, no buildings, nothing but Richard and I walking along having a chat. We were in costume already since we'd been doing some minor filming with a few of the others. 

Taimi had found an idyllic walking trail. There were trees on one side and a large open field on the other. All the Oaks and Home Free were coming out with us to this shoot. Shinedown had a bunch of interviews all day, soundcheck, meet-and-greet, and then their show tonight. Although we weren't marketing this as a "religious" type film, we did want to keep to the Oaks' strong faith even in their characters. That's what this "private conversation" was about between mine and Richard's character.

Both Taimi and Kirsi would be filming. Taimi would walk in front of us filming us from the front while Kirsi would be filming from the sides. Once everyone was ready, Richard and I got in position to start our walk and talk. Kirsi told us to 'hit it' as they started filming.

__

"Thanks for coming out, Daddy. There's....." I sighed, "... there's something I want to talk to you about."

"Is everything ok? Nothing wrong with you or Zach?" Richard asked, touching my arm for effect

"Zach is...fine....but everything is not ok." I cautiously stated, "Tim was innocent. He didn't commit the robbery at Mr. Brimley's store."

"How do you know, Pumpkin?"

"Because...... he was with me all night." I confessed, looking at the ground as we slowly walked along the path

"You're a married woman! You come to church every Sunday. Pumpkin....." Richard stated with a bit of shock

"I know, Daddy! I'm so ashamed of what I've done but I fell in love with him. Zach... he..... he's always been...distant. He's a good provider but I've never loved him." I explained

"Lily, you know what the bible says about adultery. I thought you did, anyways."

I just looked away from him in shame.

"Let me remind you then. Matthew 5:27 states 'Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery'. Romans 7:3 states 'So then if, while [her] husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man'. Do I need to go on?

"No, Daddy. I understand. But what do I do? I don't love Zach. I love Tim. He's in prison because of me! I can't just... I can't just abandon him when he needs me!" I said, tearing up

"Pumpkin, you know I love you. I won't say anything about this moral failing. What you need to do is get on your knees and pray. 2 Chronicles 7:14 stated – 'If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.' 

1 John 1:9 states- 'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' Proverbs 28:13 states- 'He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh [them] shall have mercy.'"

"What good is praying going to do for Tim?" I stated angrily

"Lily, listen to me. You cannot be with him as long as you're married." Richard stated with a bit of finality to his deep voice, "So if Tim didn't commit this robbery, then who did?"

"I don't know. All I know is that Tim is innocent." I replied with a sigh

"Who might have had the reason to do it?" He asked

"Zach doesn't know about me and Tim. Honestly, I can't think of anyone who had something against Tim." I replied

"Ok, pumpkin. You just stay quiet about everything. Pray and ask for repentance. We'll get through this together, ok?" Richard stated, draping an arm around my shoulders

"What am I supposed to do about Tim? He's a strong man, daddy, he'll make it through his prison sentence." I asked, looking up to the taller man

"We'll cross that bridge when we come it. Just keeping praying, asking for repentance, and listening to God's voice." Richard said as we stopped and turned to one another

The taller man grabbed both my hands in his.

"You cannot say a word about what you told me. Not to your mother, not to the preacher, no one. You go home and be a good wife. Tim's a fine man and he's lucky to have the love of someone as devoted as you. 

But you cannot be together as long as you're married. You can't leave Zach either. Pray to your Lord and Savior and ask Him for His guidance. Ask for forgiveness and repent of your sinful ways. I love you, Lily. I only want what's best for you." Richard told me which actually made me tear up

"I will, daddy. Thank you. You always give me good advice." I said as I went to hug Richard.

"You guys are awesome! I don't think we'll really need to do a second take of that!" Kirsi called out with a smile

"You guys could be actors, you know!" I chuckled making Richard laugh too

"I think we'll stick to making music. I will say that I love how you brought in the Word of God and made it make sense in the story." He stated

"Well you four are steadfast in your faith. This time period, faith was integral in the community and familial structure. I wanted to be as accurate to the time period as possible and yet keep you gentlemen as true to yourselves as possible. If that makes sense." I stated as we approached our group

"It does and it means a lot to us. You're getting the Word of God out there in a way that doesn't seem preachy and that people might actually pay attention to." He smiled at me

"I think we can wrap this up for the day." Kirsi said

We thanked everyone for their hard work as we said although we weren't done with all the filming just yet, we were taking a 'Christmas break'. There were still a few dates left before the tour officially took their Christmas break. We'd have a few days before we met at DFW International Airport to fly out to Finland as group. Everyone was flying to their respective homes, with Tim flying home to Texas with us. Since we lived on campus, he wanted to take us to his hometown where he could introduce us to his family.

*************************************************

Before we knew it, it was time to fly back into Dallas. I'd sent my dad a text reminding him of our departure and how many people were coming with us to Finland. I also sent him a list of the people Tim and I wanted at the wedding that weren't going to be there for Christmas. They were all to fly into Nashville, which my dad paid for all those flights, and then they'd catch our private jet from Nashville to Finland. I made sure there was going to be someone to help them in Nashville with getting onto the jet.

Everyone going for Christmas was meeting in Dallas. My sisters, Tim, and I were already on the jet waiting for everyone else. I was texting my dad to keep him informed of our traveling. My excitement was more than evident as I sort of bounced in my seat. Tim was laughing at me when Adam and Ericha were ushered onto the jet. We all got up to give them hugs. My sisters and I never really had what you'd call close friends. That is until we met these crazy fellas! Adam introduced us to his wife and then his little girl, Cerise. 

Rob was next making Tim ask where his wife was at. We chuckled when he said she was using the restroom and changing baby Lydia. A few minutes later and the pair joined us. She was a very pretty woman and I could tell Rob was completely infatuated, still, with his wife. They both seemed very friendly. Chance and Austin were the last to arrive with Chance's fiancé Jasmina. Once the introductions were done, we were able to hit the skies. Our pilot assured us the luggage was already stored and we were ready for take-off. 

Chance asked how we'd been able to afford a jet of this size, or a jet period, being college students. I giggled as Taimi said it actually belonged to our family. I'm sure that made everyone curious but I wasn't about to say any more than that. Rob asked about Santa's Village, which naturally made Cerise very excitable. Kirsi began telling the group all about it. Cerise was more excited at the prospect of meeting Santa and seeing the reindeer than anything. Even the adults were getting excited. 

"So what's Christmas like in Finland? Anything like the States?" Chance inquired 

"Not exactly. There's basically three holy days of Christmas. Christmas Eve, Day, and then Boxing Day. On Christmas Eve or even the day before, Christmas trees are bought from the local market or square. Christmas Eve is very special and the most important day over Christmas. Then the tree is bought, if it hasn't been already, and is decorated. At midday, the 'peace of Christmas' is broadcast on radio and TV.

Because it gets dark very in most parts of Finland around Christmas, about 3.00pm, it's now traditional to go cemeteries and visit the graves of family members. Candles in hanging lanterns are left around the grave, often lots of many family members go. The whole cemetery is alight with glowing lanterns shining in the snow which makes it look like a winter wonderland. Other people like a sauna on Christmas Eve. Our family typically does.

The main Christmas meal is eaten in the early evening. Lutefish, or salt fish, is the traditional starter, but is not so common nowadays from what our Mummo has told us. The main meal is a leg of pork served with mashed potato traditionally baked in the oven. Casseroles containing different vegetables are also common. Cured salmon is very popular as well and some people also have turkey. Desert is baked rice pudding/porridge eaten with spiced plum jam. 

Christmas Eve is when children get their presents. When they are given their presents the whole family gathers to watch the fun of opening. After opening some presents, it's time to go to bed. Our family usually hosts an adult party after the children have gone to bed and is usually a formal affair. Drinks, carols, dancing, general merriment. 

Christmas Day is much quieter with families usually spending it quietly at home. This is usually when adults exchange gifts. Lots of food, singing, story-telling, and just enjoying family. On Boxing Day people like to go out. Skiing is popular along the flat terrain or skating if the lake or river has frozen." I explained**

"Oh wow. That's.... that's different." Rob exclaimed, earning a head nod from most of the party

"Yeah but it's a lot of fun. You're free to try the 'traditional' Finnish food but we've made sure there's some traditional 'American' food too." Taimi stated, "I would definitely try authentic gingerbread cookies though. They're delicious and so much better than the nonsense you get in the stores."

"I love food so I'll try anything!" Tim said making us all laugh

"Then you're going to love our family. Food and family are a big thing with Finns." Kirsi said with a chuckle

Although the flight was long, we chatted about our family, Finland, winter activities, food, and just about everything in between. Some people napped every now and then but for the most part we were just chatting like we'd known each other for years. People had found themselves in their own conversations as the long journey went on. Tim and I included. We quietly talked of Christmas, what he thought my Mummo had accomplished for our surprise, and what our families were going to think of one another. 

I knew my family would love Tim. They would love the whole group. I was curious as to what my dad was going to do for a wedding present. There was no point in dwelling on that now. We have Christmas and a wedding to think about! As I sat there listening to the conversations around me, I had to reflect on the last several months. How had this group of men, including the Oaks and to a small extent Shinedown, changed our lives so much? 

The Oaks had all, separately of course, been texting my sisters and I sharing their beliefs. Although I had never really thought about religion most of my life, I found our conversations fascinating and meaningful. I was actually looking forward to them and learning what they had to say. Home Free had come in and made us feel like we had friends right off the bat. We'd always had trouble making friends for various reasons. We pretty much stayed to ourselves which didn't help that. Then there was me and my aggressiveness. 

They always made us laugh, always had time for us, and showed that they honestly cared about us after my stabbing. Even after we had told them our horrific past they didn't flinch or pull away from us. It warms my heart to know that we actually have friends and that there are people who care. Shinedown are pretty awesome group of dudes too, even if Zach was being a turd most of the time. When we were hanging out with them, they got us laughing and were friendly. I think we gravitated towards Home Free a little more although I'm unsure why.

"What are you in such deep thought about over there, Lilja?" Rob questioned

"Hmm? Oh. Just thinking about the whirlwind of the last few months and how things have changed." I replied

"It has been quite a whirlwind, hasn't it? And you still have over half a year with us!" Austin stated before looking at Taimi

"Oh no, they're stuck with us for life!" Tim laughed

These guys just didn't know how true that was! I smiled at Tim as Lydia began to get a bit fussy. Kelsey took out a bottle from the diaper bag to see if she was hungry. It was a cute sight although I'm not sure having children is for me.

"Oh no! Stuck with y'all for life? What torture! What horror!" I exclaimed making the whole plane crack up

"So will we get to go skiing and snowboarding and make snowmen and have snowball fights?" Adam asked

"Oh yeah. You'll have time for all that fun stuff while we're here." Kirsi smiled at him

Our pilot finally announced that we were about to land in Rovaniemi. My nerves began acting up again. Mostly because I was anxious for the surprise wedding. Tim grabbed my hand which made me smile. Austin still had his arm around Taimi's shoulders. Kirsi was texting someone which made me wonder who she was talking to. Our bags were being removed from the cargo hold as we were allowed to exit the jet. Our dad met us at the terminal and for a brief moment, we forgot about our guests. We hadn't seen our dad, or any of our family in several years, since 2005 to be exact, so this was like a family reunion for us!

There were ten adults and two children so my dad apparently rented a 15-passenger van to take us from the airport to the family's winter/summer home in Lapland. We introduced everyone to our dad who asked how our flights had been. We chatted about various things, like everyone's hometown's back in the States, as we drove along. I'd expressed to my dad, via text, that none of them should know about the wedding. This was a surprise for them and the others we were flying in after Christmas. He assured me that the rest of the family understood that too.

The drive to our family resort home was more than enjoyable. Everyone was getting along with our dad so well it was like old friends getting back together! Tim was holding my hand so I gave it a squeeze. Kirsi was in the passenger seat since Taimi and I both wanted to sit with our sweeties. I could hear some of the comments on the country as we drove by. It made me proud and very giggly all at the same time. The drive from the airport to our home was relatively short, maybe twenty to thirty minutes, but it flew by as everyone was chatting and laughing.

"Holy hell!" Tim exclaimed as we pulled up

"Welcome to our family's winter/summer home! There's plenty of room for everyone and we do have cribs for the children already set up in the appropriate rooms." My dad stated with a smile

"This place is freakin' huge!" Tim gushed

"Yes, it is. It was built with our whole family in mind. Family gatherings are very important to us and we all like being together. There's plenty of room, so do not worry!" Dad replied before climbing out of the van

"Lilja! Kirsi! Taimi!" We heard our Mummo call out as she exited the house

"Mummo!" We shouted excitedly

The three of us ran straight for her as our grandfather, Isoisä, came out onto the porch to greet us. He was the next to hug us. My dad was helping bring in the luggage as well as ushering everyone inside. He made all the official introductions to the rest of our family who were all overjoyed to see us again. My täti, or aunt, Anja set out to make some hot cocoa for everyone. It was kind of late in the evening and I knew everyone was tired from the flight. I figured most would want to head to bed but I was wrong. Of course, Kelsey and Ericha put the little ones to bed but they came back downstairs.

"How cold is it here?" Austin asked

"The freezing temperatures can fall to as low as -45 to -50°C. It's during these frosty conditions that you can also spot the amazingly colorful light phenomenon--the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis. If you'd like, we can go see them if the conditions are right while you're here!

Oh! You could always go on a husky dog or snowmobile safari, reindeer sleigh ride or take the plunge into an ice pool. There's plenty here to try if want to enjoy all Finland has to offer!" Dad stated as everyone got settled around the roaring fire

"Dad, most of them are from Minnesota. They're used to snow and all that." Kirsi chuckled

"Then you should definitely try cross-country skiing, downhill skiing and snowboarding while you're here." Dad stated with a warm smile

"Oh my goodness! I'd love to go on a Reindeer sleigh ride!" Kelsey exclaimed

"Do I want to know about 'plunging into an ice pool'?" Tim laughed

My dad laughed too, "You start out nice and hot in a sauna then dive into a, usually, small swimming hole in icy waters. It's great for the body and mind. Helps relieve stress and builds up an immunity to colds."

"Oh hell no!" Rob exclaimed making us all laugh

"The husky dog safari sounds cool." Tim stated when he quit laughing

"I promise you guys, we'll do everything you want while you're here." Taimi replied with a smile

"And we'll document it all!" Kirsi added in making everyone laugh

We sat around for a little while longer just chatting and letting our family get to know our friends. As I sat there looking around, it almost made me teary. This was a Christmas card! What was really funny, though, was Austin trying to learn Suomi (the Finnish language) with a Georgia accent. Taimi was laughing so hard but wasn't trying to be mean. I mean, it was pretty cute to hear it and I knew I had to record it.

As cautiously as I could, I took my phone out of my pocket and got the video started. Neither Austin, Taimi, nor my dad noticed me filming them. Knowing my sister, she would definitely want a copy of this video later! After a while, Isoisä suggested we all head upstairs to bed since we had a long day of traveling. The three of us hugged him and Mummo tightly once again. Man, have I said how great it was to see our family again? Everyone bid their goodnights and followed us upstairs. 

Tim seemed worried about where he'd be sleeping so I took him by the hand and led him to the room we'd be sharing. Kirsi showed our guests where they would be staying. Taimi led Austin to their room before our dad yelled up and told us to behave ourselves! We all cracked up. I dug in my bag for my pj's then walked into our bathroom to change. When I came out, he was already in his pj bottoms and shirtless.

"This place is amazing." He said as we crawled into bed

"You haven't seen anything yet, dear. I promise you, we'll show you guys a great time while we're here." I said as I snuggled into his side

"I'm sure you will. Your family seems nice." He chuckled, moving some hair out of my face

"They already love you guys. What would you like to do? I mean, I know a visit to Santa's Village is mandatory with the little ones. Kelsey wants to go on a Reindeer sleight ride which is a lot of fun and usually goes through some gorgeous country." I asked

"The husky dog safari sounds interesting. We'll see what everyone else wants to do." He replied before kissing my forehead

"We can do everything if you'd like." I said before yawning, "But we can talk to everyone about it tomorrow."

"I love you Lilja." He whispered

"Mmm, love you too my sexy cowboy." I replied as I closed my eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: **Most of this information was gathered at https://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/finland.shtml 
> 
> I changed a few things to suit my story, though. Yes, I copy/pasted the information. That's why I'm giving credit to the original posting


	28. Christmas Eve

After dinner we were preparing to head to visit the cemetery to light candles on the graves of our deceased relatives and loved ones. Kirsi told our group of friends they were more than welcome to come join us or they could stay at the cabin. Our little group remained behind. Kelsey said they weren't trying to be disrespectful but thought this was something the family should do together. Towards the darkening evening, the cemeteries are usually glowing with a sea of twinkling lights. 

Most Finns have a tradition of going to sauna to bathe and relax before attending the celebrations of the evening and our family is no exception to that. When we returned from the cemetery, Mummo asked if we were all going to sauna with them. My sisters and I all agreed but our American friends seemed a little less inclined. Jasmina was the only one who inquired about the Finnish sauna.

"First you'll shower to get any impurities or scents off your skin. Yes, you'll be naked in the sauna. Some people don't mind the co-ed saunas, for us it depends on the people. Young families like Ericha and Adam and Cerise would take sauna together. You'll enter, sit a while, get out and cool off by sitting outside, rolling in snow, or taking a dip in icy water, then get back in for another round.

"You should also have a clean set of clothes to wear after the sauna but leave your clothes in the dressing room. Also remember to take off your eye glasses because the heat of the Sauna can damage them. Take off your watch, also. Take something to sit on like a small towel, into the sauna." Mummo explained

"Oh." Jasmina stated

"Men and women bathe together only inside the family; in public saunas they have separate sections or different hours. Of course, we wouldn't expect non-Finns to co-ed take sauna together." Pentti added in

"Yes. To add to what she said, you'll repeat the hot-cold cycle as many times as you feel comfortable with. Use the birch whisk according to your preference. For many people two rounds is usually right. Most of our family will usually go three or four, sometimes five, rounds. You'll return to the hot room for a short warm up to soften the skin and the wash up.

After washing yourself you can return to the hot room for a while, now preferably to a lower temperature. Finally dry yourself with a towel or just by sitting in room temperature. You can also lay down and even close your eyes for a while if you feel like it. Before putting on clean clothes allow enough time for cooling off, otherwise the sweating may still continue. Also watch out not to get cold since the body is in a more "sensitive" state after the sauna than normally." Anja explained

"Hmm. Are you going to try it?" Jasmina asked 

"Oh I don't know." Kelsey said, clearly a bit uncertain

"It's good for the body, sweetie. And the mind. It's good to take sauna at least once a week." Mummo said softly, "Just try it once. Even if it's just to say you've done it!"

"Sure, I'll try it." Jasmina smiled

"What the heck. You only live once, right?" Ericha explained

"I don't know about being naked in front of a bunch of other dudes." Chance stated, making my whole family laugh

"If that makes you uncomfortable, you can have an extra towel to cover yourself with. It's not weird at all because Finns don't sexualize everything." My dad stated, "I mean no offense, of course."

"What the hell. I'll try it." Tim stated making me giggle

"Pappa, help the fellas that want to try get ready. Mummo, will you help us?" Kirsi asked

"Of course!" She smiled at us

We all headed upstairs to take a very quick shower. Tim decided we should shower together. Have I ever said how hot he is? It took a whole lot of will power to keep my hands to myself. Once we were done, I grabbed some clothes and slipped into a robe. He followed my suit before we headed downstairs. We had two saunas, one to the left of the cabin and one to the right. Everyone slipped into some thick wool socks so we could walk from the porch to the sauna. Anja was getting ours ready when we approached. 

"Oh wow, there's like a changing room in here!" Jasmina exclaimed as we entered

"There's some suits for you to put on if you want to roll in the snow or take an ice dip. The sauna is all ready for everyone." Anja stated 

Me, my sisters, Anja, Mummo, Jasmina, Kelsey and Ericha were all sitting around the sauna. Everyone was quiet as we let the steam do what it was supposed to do. A few minutes went by and I couldn't take it anymore.

"So who've you been texting so much lately?" I asked Kirsi

She blushed and looked away from me. Taimi called her out and demanded an answer, in a soft tone of course.

"Brent and I have been texting a lot back and forth. He's having issues with his ex-girlfriend and I've been a shoulder to cry on, of sorts." She explained

"The way you've been smiling and giggling says it's a little more than that." Taimi stated before I could

"He's a sweet guy. It's a shame what she's trying to do to him." Kirsi said in a bit of a defensive tone

"Sis, you know we love you. My job is to protect those I hold dear. You also know I love Shinedown. If there's deeper feelings than just 'a shoulder to cry on', I'm not going to be upset. It's my job to know these things." I said, reaching out to give her hand a squeeze

"I hope you don't love them more than Home Free!" Jasmina said making us all laugh

"Nah, I think I might love you guys more." I giggled

"Especially one particular member?" Kelsey said, wiggling her eyebrows at me

"As a matter of fact, I do adore Adam!" I retorted, barely able to get the sentence out without laughing

"Oh don't tell Tim that!" Ericha laughed

"I am quite fond of Mr. Bass man. But let's get back to talking about Kirsi and Brent!" I said, turning to look at Kirsi

"So this is a man you talk to on a regular basis, who makes you laugh and smile a lot?" Anja questioned

"Yes, Täti, that's right." Kirsi said, blushing slightly

"Then you're dating?" Anja asked making Kirsi shake her head no, "Then why not?"

"He's.....he's afraid of getting into another relationship because his last girlfriend was really emotionally abusive and mean. Talked down to him and made fun of him when they were alone." Kirsi explained, "And please, don't let any of this go further than this sauna. He'd never trust me again."

"We understand." Jasmina said with a soft smile, "But I don't understand why you two aren't dating. You like one another? You talk all the time? He makes you laugh & smile?"

"Thanks. And yes. I just.." Kirsi sighed, "....I don't know. It's complicated."

"For who? Him or you?" Mummo questioned, patting Kirsi's knee

She sighed heavily.

"Has he let you meet his son?" Taimi questioned

"Yeah. He was Facetiming with Lyric and he let me sit in and introduced us. He's a really cute kid, really sweet too." Kirsi smiled

"He's let you meet his son and yet he won't 'ask you out'? Something's fishy here, sis." I stated, eyeing her suspiciously

Her eyes got wide in shock, "What do you mean?"

I just smiled at my sister. When we got back from Christmas I was going to have to sit down and have a long chat with Mr. Brent! It was starting to be time to get out and cool off. Ericha and I slipped into the suits that had been provided and stepped out onto the porch of the sauna. The rest just slipped back into their robes and sat around the porch. I counted to three and then we jumped into the snow and began rolling around. Hearing loud, girlish screams made us all look up.

Austin and Tim had both jumped into the icy water. Taimi and I both began clapping for our very brave men. Tim blew me a kiss and I was quick to return it. We did about three rounds in the sauna before Mummo suggested we head back in to get ready for dinner and the rest of our evening festivities. We slipped back into our robes and wool socks and made the short trek back to the cabin. We were cold but not really cold, if that makes sense. Anja told us all to go get another shower after we'd cooled off some again. 

I guess Cerise was expecting him to come overnight and have presents in the morning. All the presents that were "from" Santa, we had sitting out on the porch, guarded by my Isoisä. When he came back inside, I knew Santa was here. When there came a knock at the door, I thought Cerise was going to pass out from being so excitable! Kirsi opened the door revealing everyone's favorite present-giver!

"Santaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Cerise exclaimed in her high-pitched excitable voice

"I think she puts your excitability to shame, hun!" Taimi laughed before kissing Austin's cheek

"Ho! Ho! Ho! Good evening, little Cerise!" He said looking at the oldest girl

Cerise's eyes got huge like she was amazed he knew her name. Ericha and Kirsi were taking photos of the whole encounter.

"I hear you've been a good little girl all year long!" Santa stated, kneeling down to look at her, "You know what good little girls get?"

"Presents!" Cerise squealed happily, making us all laugh

"You're a smart girl, too!" Santa chuckled as he reached into his bag for a present

He handed it to her with a smile. She threw her arms around him making most of us go 'awww' at the scene. He hugged her back before "digging" into his bag for another present for her. Kelsey was holding Lydia who seemed to be watching the colorful man in the living room. Santa gave Cerise about five presents before turning his attention to the baby.

"You must be little Lydia!" Santa cooed at the baby

She giggled as she reached out to tug on his beard. When he squeaked as she tugged, she giggled again. 

"You're a precious little thing, aren't you?" Santa said making Lydia giggle again, "I suppose I have a few presents somewhere in my bag for a Miss Lydia. Let's see what I have."

"She's a baby!" Cerise stated as she walked over to where they stood, "She should get extra presents!"

I think my heart exploded from the cuteness!

"And why's that?" Santa asked, smiling at Cerise

"To help her learn stuff!" Cerise stated, matter-of-fact like

More 'awws' could be heard throughout the living room.

Santa handed Lydia a colorfully wrapped present. Cerise offered to help open it if Lydia had trouble.

"She's so precious, Ericha. She has such a big heart." Anja said, smiling at the proud mom

Santa was almost done handing out presents to the baby. When he was done, he told Cerise he had to head to the next house. She wanted to hug him again so he kneeled down to hug her back. He picked up his sack and waved to everyone. As he was leaving, he stopped and turned around.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" He said as he dug in his bag again, "This is for Miss Kirsi."

She walked over to him and took the small box from his hands. He winked at her before he left our cabin. We were all curious as to what it was, especially since Santa only brings children presents! She blushed seeing everyone staring at her. Adam was sitting on the floor helping Cerise tear into her presents. Kelsey was sitting on the couch with Lydia as they opened up her gifts. 

Tim and I were cuddling on a love seat, enjoying the fire, and one another's company. We'd already gotten our rings, and Mummo had quietly told me that everything was ready to go for the wedding. I didn't know how much longer I was going to be able to contain my excitement! Taimi and Austin were sitting close together on the floor by the fire talking quietly. I wondered if they would ever get married? How awesome but weird would that be for Home Free? Austin and Tim being brothers-in-law! The thought made me giggle!

Cerise's happy squeals made everyone laugh as she opened her presents from Santa. It was getting late so Ericha told her it was about time to go to bed. The little girl wanted to stay up and play but her mother gave her a look before telling her she would be able to play with all her new stuff tomorrow. Kirsi was helping get all the trash picked up while Anja was helping Mummo get the adult's party ready. 

After the kids were put to bed, I kissed Tim on the cheek and said I was gonna go get ready for our party. He smiled at me as he stood up too. Even Kirsi said she was gonna go get ready. I guess everyone else began following suit, I don't know really know since our door was shut. A quick shower and then to slip into my party dress. It was a pretty emerald green strapless sheath dress with chiffon ruffles. I had some nice silver heels to go with it. As I was at the vanity in the bathroom doing my make-up (black and silver smokey eye and clear lip gloss), Tim was taking a quick shower. 

When he exited the bathroom, as I was sitting on the bed getting my shoes on after slipping into some panty hose, he stopped and stared at me. I just smiled at him. He started to get dressed and it took all I had to not just stare at him. I was a very lucky woman in more ways than one. He was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans, his black boots, and an emerald green button down. To say he looked great would be an understatement! He said we were a gorgeous couple which made me laugh. Once we were both ready, we headed downstairs.

"Oh my goodness! You both look just stunning!" Mummo gushed as she walked over to give me a hug

"Thank you, Mummo! Can I help with anything?" I said as we pulled away

She went to hug Tim, "Oh, no sweetie. Everything's done already. I think your Isoisä is having trouble with the piano, though."

"I might be able to help with that." Tim stated with a smile

"You play piano, dear?" She asked

"Yes, Ma'am, I do." He said, "If you'll excuse me, I'll see if I can help."

"He's a keeper, Lilja." Mummo chuckled

"Don't I know it." I winked at her

No one knew. None of my family, not my sisters, not his band, not his family. He and I were the only ones who knew that we were already married. My family did know that we were surprising everyone with the wedding, though. Anja was setting out some delicious ginger bread cookies and swatted my hand, pretty darn hard too!, when I tried to snag one. She was laughing at me as I pouted but I still didn't get a cookie.

"Oh look at you two!" I heard my Mummo gush, "You are just the prettiest young lady!"

"Aww, thank you Ma'am." Kelsey replied

My Setä, or uncle, Pentti (Anja's husband)was helping bring in some extra firewood. Someone already had some Christmas music playing. Tim was tuning the piano. I greeted Kelsey and Rob, who both looked amazing, making her smile warmly at me as we hugged. Adam and Ericha were the next to make it downstairs. Yet again, Mummo gushed at the pair making Ericha blush slightly. That was my Mummo, though. Always so positive and uplifting! 

Anja was finishing preparing the Glögi (mulled wine) when Chance and Jasmina came downstairs. Kirsi was already in the kitchen helping get the spread with raisins, blanched almonds and Ginger biscuits (Ginger Snaps) together for the Glögi. There was a non-alcoholic version and an alcoholic version. Most people used clear wine glasses for the non-alcoholic and red wine glasses for the alcoholic versions. 

Mummo was wanting pictures of each couple making a few of us giggle. Dad got some, too, since he still had my phone. Austin and Taimi finally came downstairs and I could have sworn I saw a hickey on his neck! Once everyone had arrived, a few of our aunts & uncles were just now getting here, the party began! Introductions were made, Glögi was dispersed, and dancing began! We laughed, danced, sang, and enjoyed the mulled wine. These guys and girls really took to our weird Finnish customs pretty well! I took my phone back from my dad and began videoing some of our family dancing like dorks!

We wound up singing all sorts of Christmas carols, including some Finnish ones! Even more dancing, even more Glögi, even more photos and videos being taken. The evening wore on but it seemed like the party had just started. Austin and Taimi were dancing to a slow Christmas song as were Tim & I. As a matter of fact, Tim was singing to me as we danced which was really cool. At one point, Mummo asked Tim if he'd play the piano for us which he graciously did. Rob and Kelsey were dancing together and it was just adorable. She was the only thing that mattered to him at that moment.

Eventually, around 2am, the party started winding down. My sisters and I helped clean up from the festivities before heading upstairs for the night. Tomorrow was Christmas day and just three more days before the wedding. Why is it time seemed to drag on and on when there's something I'm looking forward to? I shut the door behind me making Tim look up from his phone. He grinned at me as he slid out of bed and walked over to where I was still standing. 

"Have I told you just how beautiful you are?" He quietly stated, slipping his arms around my waist

"Oh stop." I blushed

"I'm seriously. You are absolutely stunning. This has been a really amazing day. None of us will ever forget this." He said, leaning down and nuzzling my neck

"It was our pleasure." I somehow breathed out

He led me over to the bed where he proceeded to slowly undress me. I think the Glögi was starting to get to him! We had to be quiet, especially since there were so many other people in the house, but boy was our love-making magnificent! Between the excitement of the day, the Glögi, the holiday party, and the "happy fun time", it didn't take either of us but a few minutes to fall asleep!


	29. Surprise!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> > [](//imgur.com/RT3k9i5)

Christmas Day was spent more or less lounging around, telling stories, eating, and just being together. Boxing Day, or the day after Christmas, was a whole other ball game. They wanted to check out some of the places that Mummo had suggested like the Snowmobile safari to Levi Ice Gallery. We enjoyed the scenery and drive around Lev. The Levi Ice Gallery is actually a 10,000 square meter snow and ice structure contains a snow hotel, snow chapel, ice bar, and an ice and snow art gallery. It was absolutely stunning to say the least. I was so glad we got tons of photos there! 

_"My parents, Luke, and Avi have met up at the Dallas airport and are about to take-off"_ Tim whispered to me after receiving a text so I nodded to let him know I'd heard him.

One of the coolest things we did, at least to me, was while we were still in Levi. Dad suggested we go Ice-Karting. Ice karting is driven on an ice track with go-karts equipped with studded tires and silent four-cycle engines. We were supplied with complete winter-racing gear, including helmets, hoods, shoes, gloves and overalls. Hot juice was served throughout the event, too, which was cool (no pun intended, lol). Oh my gosh we all had such a blast trying to race one another to the end! I'm so glad Dad was taking video and pictures of us all! Dad watched the children, and I know he loved every minute of it, while the adults had fun on the ice track.

The Northern Lights appear on clear nights, so one evening we all trudged out to see if we could catch them. Lady Luck was on our side that night! Not only did we catch them, but they remained for about ten minutes. I'm pretty sure all of us were taking photo after photo in hopes of capturing the magnificence as clearly as we could! It was honestly one of the most breath-taking things I've ever witnessed! So much so that it actually made a few of us cry. Dad just smiled at everyone as we started on our way back to the cabin.

Dad also took us to the town of Ranua. We had the pleasure of visiting the northernmost zoo on the planet. This wasn't a place to see exotic species but rather the Ranua Zoo brings the wildlife of Finland's polar region into one place. We were able to check out 50 (yes, I said 50) different arctic species, including top predators like brown bears, polar bears, lynxes and wolves. There are also more benign herds of moose and deer. Cerise was so excited for this trip and I think she had more fun than the adults. That was saying something, too, because we were all having such a blast!

Of course, we did take half a day to go skiing and snowboarding. We were all having such a good time together just hanging out as friends and family. Dad sent me a text saying that Isoisä and Mummo were picking everyone up from the airport and would have them at a private cottage close to our family's cottage. No one would be seen until the wedding. Oh, how I was getting nervous. We had things planned out and so far things seemed to be going smoothly. 

"So, what's this event we're getting dressed up for?" Kirsi questioned

"We'll call it a surprise, sweetie. Now go get ready. You don't want to be late!" Dad told her

I looked over at Tim and smiled before heading upstairs to get ready myself. He was using my dad's room to get ready in. I could hear everyone else walking upstairs which made me giggle. I hoped they wouldn't get mad at us for this surprise. It was just good timing about Christmas and we decided to take the opportunity while we had most everyone gathered here. Although we were already married, despite no one knowing about it, I still found myself nervous with butterflies floating in my stomach. 

Täti Anja helped me do my hair before she got ready. Tim and I would be arriving separately and my dad would be walking me down the aisle. Before we finalized plans, I made sure that this wedding would be "legal" back in the states and my dad assured us it would be. He even showed me international law about it. Everyone that was here for Christmas arrived first. This wedding was taking place outside, and yes it was snowing a little bit, but everyone had a very nice throw to help keep them warm. What my Mummo had put together took my breath away.

"Are you ready, pumpkin?" Dad asked me as we were in a small room in the building to await the rest of our guests

"I've never been more sure of anything." I smiled

"Avi, Luke, what are you doing here?" I heard Austin exclaim, making me smile

"Uh, Tim asked us here. Something about a surprise." I heard Avi answer

"Us?" Rob inquired

"Dena! Regan! How are you?" Chance asked, "What are y'all doing here in Finland?"

"Tim asked us here." Dena replied

Slowly but surely the ones we'd flown in especially for this, my two professors included, had arrived. Once they were and everyone had a seat, we got this party started! I peaked out the window and took a deep breath. There was the preacher standing at the front. Tim moved to stand in front of him to speak.

"I want to thank you all for agreeing to come to Finland. I'm sure you're all wondering what this is about." Tim smiled

"Wait a minute. Some of the closest people to you and Lilja are here...." Adam said as he looked around

"I guess we can get started." Tim smiled

The wedding processional began and I heard lots of gasps. Dad and I walked out of the building. Tim was only looking at me making everyone else turn around. More gasps and people were beginning to smile. I'm pretty sure I saw Taimi tearing up a bit. The preacher went through the spiel about who gives this woman away and my dad said he did. 

"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of these witnesses, to join Lilja and Tim in matrimony commended to be honorable among all; and therefore is not to be entered into lightly but reverently, passionately, lovingly and solemnly. Into this - these two persons present now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together - let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

Since no one was objecting, he went on through the typical wedding stuff. Tim and I had a video of our first wedding and we'd decided to just recite what we'd spoken then. It was heartfelt and we both meant each word. Finally, it was time for Tim's vows.

"Lilja, I will take you in my arms when you need to be held. I will listen when you need to talk. I promise to always be your biggest fan and your partner in crime. I will laugh with you in times of joy, and comfort you in times of sadness. I will love you for who you are, and help you to become all that you can be. I vow not just to grow old together, but to grow together." Tim said making us both cry (again)

As a matter of fact, I think he made several people cry! The preacher smiled as someone handed me a tissue to wipe my eyes with and then said that it was my turn. With a deep breath, I looked at my husband.

"Tim, you have made me feel more loved than I ever thought possible. Today, I give you all that I am, and all that I have. Just as I give you my hand to hold today, I give you my heart, my faith, my life. Today, I join my life with yours. Wherever you go, I will go. Whatever you face, I will face. 

You know me better than anyone else in this world and somehow still you manage to love me. You are my best friend and one true love. There is still a part of me today that cannot believe that I'm the one who gets to marry you." I said, tears still sliding down my face

 _'Awws'_ could be heard but I couldn't pay attention to anyone but the man before me. He was still teary as well when he reached over to wipe my tears away. Wasn't the sweetest man alive? He went on through the rest of the ceremony although I could barely pay attention. 

"Now, the exchanging of rings. Timothy?" The preacher said, turning to Tim

"I, Tim, give you, Lilja this ring as an eternal symbol of my love and commitment to you." He said as he slipped my wedding ring onto my finger

Flashed went off as people were taking photos. The preacher turned to me next.

"I, Lilja, give you, Tim, this ring as an eternal symbol of my love and commitment to you." I said, slipping his ring on

The act made me choke up again. He just smiled at me as things became official. Finally, we were nearly done!

"It is now my pleasure to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Foust!" The preacher exclaimed beaming at us, "You may now kiss your beautiful bride."

Tim wasted no time in pulling me into a tight embrace and crashing his lips to mine. My arms wrapped around his neck as we kissed and the world melted away. When we pulled away we were smiling and loud cheers could be heard. I blushed slightly as I took his arm and we walked down the aisle and into the building. Mummo hired a photographer friend of hers and her (the friend) husband who was the videographer. Everyone was allowed to head inside the venue to get out of the cold. 

We were off to take official wedding photos. It was so nice to be able to wear my wedding band now! The DJ was already getting things started but I didn't care. Right now it was just Tim and I as an "official" married couple. The photographer was great and had us in all sorts of positions (nothing naughty!) and even had us back outside in the snow. She assured us she'd have all the photos she would be taking today ready for us by the time we were flying back to the States.

When he and I entered the actual reception, more cheers could be heard. All I could do was smile and blush at all the attention. Everyone stopped us to give us hugs but I didn't mind that at all. Dena was in tears by the time we made it to where she and her husband were sitting. _"I'm sorry for not letting you in on what we were doing"_ I whispered to her as we hugged. "I've never seen my son so happy. I'm not mad!" she retorted before we pulled away. We finally made it to the sweethearts table. Before things really got going, Tim wanted to say something.

"Uh, first of all I want to thank everyone for coming out. I know the journey was long and we both appreciate your faith in us. For those who came with us for Christmas, yes this was planned. She did want to share Christmas in Finland with us and we figured since half of our favorite people would be here anyways, we might as well make use of it.

We thank all of you for coming all this way to share in this special day with us even though you didn't know what was going on. It really means the world to us both. Thank you." Tim said, making me tear up again

The party began as the photographer walked around doing what she did best. Dinner would be served shortly and dancing was about to start. Tim and I were chuckling at some of their reactions when Adam stood up.

"I know none of us were aware we were about to come to a wedding but I want to say something. From the moment Lilja and her sisters came into our lives, we all knew that we were making life long friends. I think all of us saw the attraction between them even if they couldn't see it at the time. It's easy to see how they feel every time they look at one another. So, welcome to the Home Free family, Lilja!" Adam said making Tim smile and me tear up

What's up with me crying so much today? As I was dabbing my eyes, Kirsi stood up.

"When Duane asked us to put Home Free in our project I don't think any of us could have known how life changing that was. We've always had a hard time making friends but from the moment we met, we felt like we had had friends and family. Lilja has never laughed or smiled as much as she does when Tim's around. He has been such a blessing to her, and to us, and we'll never be able to thank him for what he's done for our sister. And to all of Home Free, thank you for allowing us in your lives." Kirsi stated making a fresh wave of tears fall

People were hugging my sisters which made me smile. How had my life come to this?! The DJ was playing some soft music as a waiter came by to take our dinner order. I was happy to see that Mummo thought about our American guests as we had quite the variety of food to choose from. Since we had a little while before dinner was actually served, we thought we'd get up and talk to our guests. 

Adam and Ericha were at the first table we came to. Cerise was busy coloring when we walked up. Both stood up to hug us making me smile.

"That was so sweet, what you said. Thank you." I told Adam as we hugged

"Why didn't you tell us you were engaged? We could have prepared a wedding shower!" Ericha exclaimed as we hugged

"We wanted to surprise everyone." I chuckled

We chatted for a little while with everyone at the table before moving to the next table. Austin and Taimi were sitting at that table with a few of our relatives.

"Congrats you two! That was such a beautiful wedding." Austin grinned as he hugged Tim

"So when will be planning a wedding?" I stated, looking between the pair making her look away and blush

"We haven't known one another long enough for that." Austin replied making Tim chuckle

"Really? And we've known one another longer than y'all?" Tim stated with a smirk, "Man, when you know, you know."

"Those were some of the sweetest vows I think I've ever heard." Täti Anja exclaimed as we hugged

"Thank you. He's a song writer so he really knows how to hit me in the heart." I chuckled as Tim shook my uncle's hand

We chatted for awhile with the rest of the table before, again, moving on to the next. We really wanted to talk with everyone. Rob, Kelsey, baby Lydia in her car seat, and Avi were a few at the next table.

"Man, why didn't you tell us you were getting married? I feel like a cheapskate not having anything for you." Avi said as he hugged my husband

"We just wanted to surprise everyone. Coming for Christmas was the excuse we needed to get half our loved ones together." Tim chuckled before turning to me, "This is Lilja. Doll, this is Avi Kaplan, formerly bass singer of Pentatonix."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, finally." I said as he pulled me into a hug

"I believe the pleasure is all mine." He said

"Those were probably the sweetest wedding vows I've ever heard. How long did it take you to come up with them?" Kelsey asked as she and I hugged, "And oh my gosh your dress is just beautiful!"

Tim and I looked at one another before he said _'not as long as you'd think'_. I had to suppress my smile. We wound up chatting with everyone before it was announced dinner was being served. This day could not get any better! We made our way back to our table. As dinner was being served, Isoisä prayed over the food before we were allowed to eat. Everyone was having such a good time already and it made me happy. Kirsi was texting, I assume it was Brent, and Taimi was busy talking with Austin.


	30. Irresistable

"I can't thank you enough for all you ladies have done. This vacation was something none of us will ever forget. I know they'll never forget this wedding either!" He smiled, pushing some hair behind my ear

"Well thanks for marrying me. My prospects were kinda slim." I stated making him laugh really hard

"You are kind of irresistible." He smiled, "But seriously, you're an incredible woman. So talented in so many ways. I love your creativity and how much you love your family. I only hope that I make you as happy as you make me." 

"Aww, aren't you just the sweetest?" I chuckled, "You do, Tim. I never thought I would have such an amazing, understanding, funny man. For the longest time I didn't believe I deserved happiness or love. But then you guys walked into our lives and everything changed." 

"Tell me." He stated, cupping my cheek with his hand

"We have acquaintances, but we never really had close friends. Our two professors are really the exception to that. When you got mad at me for not telling you I'd been stabbed, it hurt me. I didn't understand why I felt so bad that you were mad at me. You made all these weird feelings come up that I didn't understand. Somehow you got in my head and my heart and it confused me." I chuckled

"Go on." He said with a smile

"The rest, as they say, is history." I laughed

"Why did you marry me? In Vegas, I mean." He asked, "You were fighting it but then you sort of gave up the fight."

"Part of it was that I didn't believe you really wanted to marry me. I guess that goes back to me feeling like I didn't deserve it. Part of me thought you were just doing it to piss off the trio of idiots and I didn't want you to regret your decision." I replied looking down, "But then staring into those beautiful, soulful eyes of yours it hit me. Everything I ever wanted, deep down inside, was staring back at me. We told you our whole life story and you never backed away from me. You know the things I've done and yet there you were trying to convince me to marry you. I knew you were special and I realized there was no point in fighting my feelings anymore."

"Now look who's the sweetest! You made an impression on me. And not just because of your impressive transcripts." He laughed before kissing my nose, "As Duane told us, what you did didn't matter. It was why you did it. You are such a caring person and you love so deeply that you put yourself into physical danger to keep those you love safe. Not many people would do that. And the fact that here you are top students in college and not strung out addicts. You conquered and over-came. I respect that."

I looked away from him in embarrassment. He tipped my chin so I was looking at him. With a soft smile, he leaned over and planted his lips to mine. Sweet, soft, loving kisses. He seemed to know what I needed even when I didn't. For the first time since our first four years of college, my future seemed bright. There wasn't a lot of room in this bunk for "sexy fun time" but we did settle for a nice make-out session. 

*************************************** 

It had been a long three months. Two weeks of filming the last things we needed to film and then the rest of the time was spent in edit mode. Taimi and Austin were.... Well.... I was expecting a proposal any day now. Brent was finally hanging out on our bus with Kirsi. Tim and I couldn't decide if we wanted our home to be in Texas or Tennessee. He was split between them and finally I said that we could have our home in Tennessee and a vacation home in Texas. He agreed so now we were looking at land that would suit our needs and wants. 

Our film was almost complete. There was still editing to do, of course. Then actually putting the DVD together. We wanted the menu to be a little different than the usual or what you'd expect. We sat down with everyone involved, individually and then as a band (if they were in a band), to do a little Q&A for the extras. We were filming the Q&A section in the back lounge on our bus. We'd put up a green screen behind the l-shaped couch so we had more control over the environment and what we could show behind the person or people we were talking to. No one asked us about it. I guess they figured we knew what we were doing!

Kirsi was taking care of that while I was on the phone with my dad as we were going over some details to some property we'd found. I'd been working on putting together a "blooper reel" before dad had called me. Isoisä had also sent a message about two new busses for us and Home Free but I was keeping that little bit of information to myself for right now. Tim didn't even know about it. I wasn't sure I was going to tell him, just keep it a surprise for him too!

Taimi was doing some sketches trying to figure out the front sleeve of the DVD. Brent and the rest of Shinedown were doing their soundcheck before their meet-and-greet. We'd gotten their Q&A done already that morning. We were also already working on movie posters and soon we'd be working on a "movie premier" like we'd done for "Animal I've Become". The three of us were super excited about that! We were planning on having everyone bring their wives to it as well. Again, we were planning on rolling out the red carpet and all that fun type stuff. This was an even bigger project for us than "Animal" for more than one reason.

Once my dad and I had hung up, I walked back on the bus and tried to get back to work. These guys were so funny and this blooper reel was definitely going to showcase that! We had plenty of footage for it and now it was just a matter of choosing which scenes to include. I really wanted to make this DVD as professional, as unique, and as amazing as the three bands we had the pleasure of working with. We had also decided on a slideshow so that was my next "little project". Taimi would be working on the "Behind the Scenes" video pieces. 

"What's got you so stressed out over there?" I heard Brent ask

"Hey. I thought you were busy most of the day?" I asked, looking up and giving him a warm smile

"For the most part but I've got a few minutes so I thought I'd come over and see how you ladies were doing." He smiled as he sat down across from me

"Kirsi is still in the back doing our interviews." I chuckled, "But I'm a little stressed as I try to decide which bloopers to include in the DVD."

"Sounds like a good kind of stress!" He laughed, "Uh, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Ok." Was all I said as I set my laptop aside

"I'm sure you know that Kirsi and I text a lot. I'm here hanging out on your bus quite a bit." He said making me nod at him, "I like your sister a lot. I see the way Austin looks at Taimi. You and Tim are already married."

Where was he going with this? I just raised my eyebrow at him making him chuckle nervously.

"Uh, well, I've been thinking about this for a few weeks now. I haven't even talked to any of the guys about it." Brent sighed as he ran his hand through his hair, "I was thinking......I mean I am thinking...... of uh, asking Kirsi to marry me."

My eyes got wide at what he'd said. He was watching me intently and seemed to be very nervous. How did I feel about this? I'd never seen them go out, he didn't come hang out with us until recently, all they've ever really done was text back and forth.

"What are you thinking, Lilja?" He asked, voice cracking ever so slightly

"Why do you want to marry my sister?" I asked making him look down and blush, "I've never seen you take her out on a date. You've only in the past few months been hanging out with us. It seems all you've ever done is text each other."

"I know." Was all he said

That wasn't really an answer. I wanted to know exactly why he wanted to marry my sister and why he thought she'd even say yes!

"You know she was married before. You know how that ended, Brent. I am fiercely protective of my sisters. So I'm gonna ask you this one more time. Why do you want to marry Kirsi? As a matter of fact, knowing about her previous marriage, why do you think she'd even say yes?" I asked, crossing my arms across my chest

"I know all we've really been doing is texting. We've gotten to know one another really well, though. Yes, I know everything about her previous marriage and it just broke my heart to hear what she told me. I don't know if she'll say yes. I hope she will because I hope she feels the same as I do.

I'm sure you know about my ex. She messed me up in the head something awful and I had no confidence, no self-esteem, I believed all the lies she fed me for so long. Kirsi was so kind to me when I told her everything about my relationship. She's so sweet and generous and kind and yes I do find her physically attractive. She's kinda irresistible.

I never thought I'd feel this way about anyone ever again because I did have self-esteem and confidence issues. Somehow, she's stitched my heart back up. My favorite part of the day is when I get to talk to her. I've introduced her to my son and my parents one day when I was Face-Timing them. My family really loves her and are always asking when I'm going to bring her home so they can meet face-to-face. Even my son adores her! She's always asking how he is and that just....." He said, getting a bit emotional at the end

"Ok, Brent." I said, getting up and sitting next to him, "I've heard all I need to hear. You know what I'm capable of so I'll spare you the speech I normally give to people who show interest in my sisters. You know what I did to her late husband but I don't think I'm gonna have to worry about you."

He looked at me, through tearful eyes, with a look of hope. I smiled at brunette.

"I'd be honored to call you my brother-in-law. Welcome to our family, Brent!" I said as I pulled him into a tight hug

"Thank you, Lilja. This means the world to me to know that you approve." He told me

"What's going on here? Hitting on my wife?" Tim stated with a chuckle

"No, welcoming him to our family." I stated as I looked up and saw all the HF fellas finding seats, "He's asked my permission to ask Kirsi to marry him!"

"Congrats, man! When are you gonna do it?" Austin asked

"Shh! She's still in the back doing the interviews with the Oaks'." I scolded

"Sorry. But I still wanna know!" Austin grinned

"I don't know. I haven't really gotten that far yet! Besides, I still haven't found the perfect ring for her, yet." Brent stated

"She's not a flashy type of girl. Something simple is best with Kirsi. That goes for rings, proposals, and weddings!" I stated as I moved to sit on Tim's lap

"Got it." Brent laughed, "What would you suggest?"

"Something romantic but not flashy. A simple but classic ring." I stated thoughtfully, "When are you planning on popping the question?"

"I don't know. I gotta find the ring first!" Brent chuckled, "I would love your help in all of this though."

"I'd be more than happy to help." I grinned at him

"Oh! She said something about you finally finding some land to build your dream house on?" Brent stated as if he wanted to move the conversation off his proposal

"Yeah. There's some details we gotta hash out first. We will be sort of splitting this big piece of property so that each of my sisters will have a house too." I stated

"Huh? Why?" Rob asked

"You guys have to understand, we've never lived a part or spent any significant time away from one another. Everything we do, we do together. Where I go, they go. Where they go, I go. It's been us three against the world since we were four." I stated

"Fair enough. What about Brent and Kirsi?" Rob asked, "Or Taimi and Austin if he ever proposes?"

I looked over at Brent who only shrugged at me. Austin was looking incredibly uncomfortable.

"I don't care where we live. I'm originally from Tennessee and still have family there." Brent said

"Don't look at me!" Austin exclaimed

I shook my finger at him, "I'll look at you anytime I feel like it, Mister!"

They all laughed as he blushed slightly. I looked over at my amazing husband and had to sigh inwardly. It still utterly dumbfounded me that I got to call him mine. He grinned at me before I turned my attention back to the Tenor.

"Ok, ok. I'm just not sure I'm ready for marriage. I don't feel like..." He stated before Taimi boarded the bus on her phone and looked a bit angry

Austin got up and pulled her into his arms. Raising my eyebrow at him made him smile sheepishly at me. She rolled her eyes at whoever she was talking to making me laugh. Tim pulled me down onto his lap as we all sat there silently listening to her half of the conversation. My husband began kissing my neck. He knew that drove me crazy but he was doing it knowing there was nothing I could about it right now. The bastard!

Loud laughter could be heard as the back lounge door opened up. The Oaks' slowly made their way up front. We all greeted them cordially. I looked over at Kirsi who was smiling shyly at Brent. I watched the interaction between the pair as I tried to decipher my sister's feelings. Taimi thanked the Oaks' for their interviews making them all smile at us before bidding us a temporary goodbye. There were definitely feelings there even if my sister was doing her hardest to push them down and bury them.


	31. Back to the grind!

Our first dance as husband and wife was to Elvis Presley's _"Can't Help Falling In Love"_. Tim sang the words to me as we danced. Everything and everyone just disappeared as he sang to me. He leaned his forehead on mine as he sang and I closed my eyes just listening to the deep sound of his voice. This was the most romantic thing ever and any doubts I ever had about this marriage melted away. Why fight these feelings? 

As soon as that song was over, Rascal Flatts' _"Bless the Broken Road"_ came on. He and I stayed on the dance floor but others, like Austin  & Taimi, joined us. Once again, Tim was singing to me. I glanced over at my sister and found Austin singing to her! Dena and Regan were out dancing too, I noticed, and it made me smile. Have I stated how much I love Tim's deep voice? At the end of the song, Tim dipped me which made me giggle. 

Big & Rich's _"Lost in this Moment"_ began playing next. Tim and I remained out on the floor as we danced and he sang. I will never get tired of hearing him sing! Not all of the songs the DJ played were sweet, slow love songs. He did play a lot of fun dancing songs that had nearly everyone up on the floor, laughing, dancing, and just having an amazing time. I sincerely hoped the Home Free family would remember this trip with fond memories and not just because they were roped into a wedding! 

We cut the beautiful wedding cake (and no, there was no smearing it in the faces) and fed one another. It was sweet and cute all at the same time. The white cake was actually red velvet and it was delicious. All of our guests seemed to really be digging it which made me happy. We even did the silly throwing of the bouquet. You know what was funny about that? Taimi caught it! All the Home Free fellas gave Austin a rough time about it which just made it funnier to me!

As promised, the photographer handed us a 32g flash drive that had every single photo she'd taken of the night on it as well as all the video her husband had taken. We both thanked the pair over and over and I hugged them both. They congratulated us on our marriage and wished us a very happy life. I thanked both my grandparents for throwing the most amazing wedding I could have imagined together for us. She beamed at me and said it was her pleasure. Dad was "having a talk" with Austin and I think it might have had something to do with a wedding!

Tim was a bit worried about the conversation between them but I wasn't. I think my dad was just trying to understand Austin's feeling about my sister. They started laughing but it was still a pretty serious conversation. Dad finally rested his hand on Austin's shoulder and the younger man just nodded. We finally headed back to our family's cabin for the night. Before Tim and I headed up to our room, my dad pulled us into the living room. We sat down by the fire and I was starting to get a little worried. 

"The whole family wanted to give you a wedding present that would make the both of you happy. So here it is." Dad said as he handed me an envelope

I opened it up and read the letter. My gasps made Tim ask me what was wrong. I handed him the letter before throwing my arms around my father.

"Oh Sir, this is...." Tim stated

"Hush. It's our gift to you. Find the land you want and we'll get to building your dream house. Do not worry about price tags." Dad smiled as I sat back down

"There are no words, Sir." Tim said, getting a bit emotional himself, "Thank you."

My family were buying us land and building us our dream home. _'Spare no expense'_ and _'whatever amenities or things you want'_ were written in their letter to us. I hugged my dad and fought the happy tears that threatened to fall. Tim was also very quick to hug his new father-in-law.

***************************************************

After another few days of wintery fun and sight-seeing in Finland, we were headed back to the United States. Tim and I were on cloud nine and everyone looked really happy. Tim and I were cuddling as we sat in silence and watched our friends laughing and joking. The flight back seemed a bit longer than the flight over there. Maybe it was because most people were now quietly sitting around. Reflecting or reminiscing maybe. Tim's parents, Luke, and Avi were flying back with us while the rest of the folks we flew over there had their own jet to take them back.

We had to finish up the minor projects and of course the big project we were still working on. There was still filming to do as well as all the editing. I'm sure the Oaks were dying to hear about our wonderful trip to Finland. We hadn't had a honeymoon, per se, but we were planning one for the next time the boys had a week or two off. We were starting the after Christmas tour in Topeka so that's where the first stop was. My dad had instructed our pilot to take the rest of the group to their home cities' airports.

We had a bit of an emotional goodbye. Dena and Regan hugged me tightly, welcomed me into their family, and thanked me for getting them to Finland for the wedding. Adam was tightly hugging his little girl and wife goodbye. Rob was hugging his wife and kissing his precious baby goodbye. Avi was trying to hug me and my sisters and thanked me for flying him to Finland for the wedding. Luke would be de-boarding with us. We bid everyone a goodbye, thanked them for coming, and wished them speedy travels on the way home.

Our bus was picking everyone up and then we'd be heading to whichever truck stop had been agreed upon as the meeting place while we waited for the Oaks and Shinedown to come in. Tim and I were walking hand-in-hand to where the bus was supposed to be picking us up at. I guess our tours were once again meeting up because there was Christina and her gaggle of idiot friends standing outside. I groaned and rolled my eyes making Tim laugh. 

"Trying to make Chuck jealous?" Christina sneered

"Nope, just letting everyone know that Tim belongs to me." I retorted making Austin howl in laughter

"Whatever." She stated making me laugh this time

Tim wrapped his arms around me as we stood outside waiting for the bus. Austin had his arm around Taimi while Kirsi was texting someone. The rest of Home Free were standing around chatting about random things. I was leaning my head against Tim's chest as we stood there.

"Ugh. Get a room!" I heard Chuck's annoying voice exclaim

"Kid, go away and leave us alone." Tim replied before kissing my forehead

"You're disgusting. No one wants to see that." Chuck retorted

"See what? What are they doing besides standing there?" Chance asked, cocking his eyebrow at my idiot of an ex

"He's just jealous that I have a real woman and he's got.... That." Tim laughed which made me laugh

"I am not jealous! What would I have to be jealous over?" Chuck demanded

"Oh hey baby, look! The bus is pulling up!" I stated as I started to pull Tim away 

We stored out luggage in the cargo bay then boarded the bus after it had stopped. Luke was texting someone as everyone boarded the bus. Tim and I got settled, snuggling of course, on one couch while Taimi & Austin sat with us (also snuggling). Everyone else found whatever seats they could before the bus jerked forward. Luke told us that the Oaks should be here this evening and Shinedown would be here later tonight around 11pm. 

Kirsi was texting someone, most likely Brent I suppose, while the rest of us just sat there quietly. We still had a little bit of filming to do before the long process of editing and I was itching to back to work! We also had the other "little" projects to do but I wasn't so worried about them at the moment. It took us a little bit to get to the truck stop but it didn't bother us. I think most people were just wanting to take a nap after the long travels!

The guys bid us a warm goodbye as they left to head to their bus. Rob said it was nap time which made us all laugh. Austin and Tim, naturally, stayed on our bus. Kirsi headed to her bunk so I stood up and headed to the back lounge. Tim was quick to follow suit. I was in the middle of putting on a movie when he shut the door. A nap really sounded good right about now! We were cuddling on the couch and trying to watch the movie. It was hard and I found myself drifting off to sleep. 

"Hey guys. The Oaks are here and want to have dinner with us." Kirsi stated, shaking my foot

"Hmm? Food?" Tim sleepily stated as he was waking up

Kirsi laughed and repeated what she'd just said. Tim and I sat up and stretched before walking off the bus. Rob was already off their bus and looked more refreshed than when we'd made it to the truck stop! Joe hugged us all which amused me. William Lee also hugged everyone before we made our way inside and to the Iron Skillet. Once we were seated and had given drink orders, Duane asked how our Christmas had been. Tim grinning and me giggling seemed to confuse the group.

"Christmas was wonderful! Their family showed us all sorts of cool stuff." Adam replied, "And we got to see the Aurora Borealis! And real reindeer!"

"And we got to go on a reindeer sleigh ride!" Austin added in

"That sounds wonderful! Did you get any pictures?" Joe grinned

"We all took tons, Joe." Kirsi grinned down the table at the tenor, "Although I think the highlight of the trip, for Lilja and Tim at least, was after Christmas."

"Oh? What happened?" William Lee asked

"We surprised everyone with a wedding." Tim beamed, "Including flying my parents and close friends to Finland especially for the wedding."

"Oh my gosh! Congratulations you two! We didn't think you had gotten quite that close!" Joe exclaimed happily

"Thanks, Joe. When you know, you know." Tim replied with a grin making me giggle

"I hope you have pictures!" Duane stated

"Oh yeah. I need to go through the flash drive she gave me, actually. We also have video but we haven't looked at any of it yet." I replied

"What all did you do while you were there?" Richard asked as the waitress came by to take our order

We let her get our order before anyone answered. 

"We took them to see Santa's Village which Adam's little girl was over the moon to see. Reindeer sleigh rides, Levi Ice Gallery, seeing the Aurora Borealis, typical winter activities too. Oh gosh...." Kirsi stated

"Oh! Oh! Oh! Ice-karting! Tell them about the ice-karting!" Austin excitedly exclaimed as he bounced in his seat making us all laugh

"It's like go-karting except you're on ice. It was a whole lot of fun." Taimi said as she patted Austin's head

"We saw a zoo that had nothing but arctic animals which was pretty neat." Chance added in

"And we introduced most of them to traditional Finnish sauna!" I chuckled

"It was quite the experience, let me tell ya!" Austin laughed, "But seriously, I don't think any of us will ever forget this Christmas!"

"I'm so glad to hear you all had such a good time. I can't wait to see some of the photos you have of this trip." Duane told us with a smile

We sat around chatting about the trip and how their holidays had been. Dinner was finally served and William Lee said Grace. Joe wanted to see mine and Tim's wedding rings, which made me giggle, so we showed off our beautiful and unique rings. He smiled and said he liked them. It made me giggle again. Taimi had to show off a photo she had taken with her phone of me and Dad as he walked me down the aisle.

"Oh my gosh your dress is gorgeous! You made such a beautiful bride!" Joe exclaimed making me blush slightly

"Didn't she? It was hard for me to concentrate on anything but her!" Tim grinned proudly making me blush slightly

Shortly after our food was brought, the Shinedown guys came strolling in. They all looked a little worse for wear, the poor things. Joe waved them over as a few of the guys got up to bring an extra table, or two, so they could sit with us. Everyone got situated as Duane asked how their Christmas vacation was. They each told us about it with Barry & Zach passing their phones around to see some of the photos that they'd taken of their kids. Brent was looking at Kirsi and I could see her blushing. Bill asked us how our break was and everyone looked over at Tim and I.

"It was great! Showed them some cool stuff, shared some cool experiences, shared some Finnish customs." I stated looking down at the grand-fatherly man, "Tim and I surprised everyone with our wedding while we were there."

"Say what?!" Barry exclaimed making me chuckle

"Yeah." I stated, lifting my left hand to show my wedding ring, "My Mummo put a wedding together for us since we'd have half of our loved ones there. We flew the rest out the day before. I'll probably post pictures in a few days."

"I'm sad we missed it." Barry smiled at us, "And congratulations! We'll have to go out one night to celebrate."

Eric didn't look to pleased but was smart enough to not say anything. Zach congratulated us making Tim tell them 'thanks'. They ordered their food as Bill asked how the project was coming along. Taimi got them up to speed on what all we still needed to do, including all the editing, and said it wouldn't be too much longer before we started getting serious about the DVD extras. He smiled at us and said they all couldn't wait to see how the project turned out. 

Everyone was full and tired from all the traveling. It was no surprise that most decided to call it an early night. Thankfully there were no shows tonight! Tim and Austin headed to our bus while the rest went to their respective busses. I was changing in the bunk area, with the curtain pulled, while Taimi and Austin were on the couch in the front lounge. Kirsi was in the back texting. Once I had finished changing, I walked up front. 

Tim laughed and said he should probably get a second set of pj's so he'd have something to wear on our bus! I laughed and said he could just strip down and then re-dress in the morning. Taimi made a joke about him being "undressed" on our innocent bus which made us all laugh. We bid the pair a good night before Tim shut the curtain to the bunk area. I climbed into my bunk and just watched him strip down. He crawled into my bunk, pulled our curtain shut, and rolled over to face me.


	32. Answers and Questions

Brent, Tim and I spent several "outings", throughout about a month, looking for an appropriate engagement ring for Kirsi. Poor Brent was beginning to doubt he'd ever find one that she'd like. At one particular shop, one that he didn't really want to go into but I drug him in regardless, he found it. Honestly, it didn't look like it was going to be a fruitful expedition. As we were walking around, I spotted something that caught my eye. Tim chuckled as I darted towards the counter.

Most of the rings didn't jump out at me and I was started to get a bit discouraged myself. This ring had to be perfect for Kirsi. I took a closer look at the trays of rings and then I spotted it. My squealing seemed to attract attention so Brent walked over to where I was clapping my hands. A clerk came over to see if I "needed help" so I pointed to the ring I was looking at. It was a pretty ring, it wasn't flashy, and honestly it screamed 'Kirsi' at me. 

"Brent, this is it. This is the one." I smiled as the clerk took it out of the tray to let us look at it

"Are you sure?" He questioned

"I know my sister. She'll love this." I stated with a smile

"Well, you'd know best. I'll take it!" Brent told the clerk

He found a ring box and then moved so Brent to finish the transaction. Tim wrapped his arms around me as I sighed happily. Brent already looked more relaxed and relieved! Now the truly hard part. Planning the best way to propose to my sister! Nothing flashy. It had to be simple but romantic. The whole day had to be just right. Brent looked like he was on cloud nine as we left the shop and I had to smile. It was about lunch time so we decided to go find a bite to eat and take a breather. 

As we sat there waiting for our food to arrive, I took my phone out to start looking up fun things to do in the next few cities we'd be hitting. Of course, whenever he took her out on this date, Shinedown would have to have a day off. I was going to help him get everything together so I'd basically be with them the whole day but more "behind the scenes". More than likely, Tim will be with me the whole day too! 

"You like being outdoors, right?" I suddenly asked Brent

Both Tim and Brent answered, "Yes!"

"What are you thinking?" Brent questioned

"We're gonna be in Colorado in a few weeks. There's a natural park that is supposedly pretty rad. Great for hiking, you can drive through it, you can even do a little rock climbing. Great for photos from what I'm reading. Might be a nice quiet day just the two of you enjoying each other's company and the scenery." I stated

"And a great place to pop the question?" Brent asked me with a chuckle

"Yeah." I smiled at him

"So how exactly are we supposed to do this?" Brent asked as the waitress brought our food

"Well, I'll be there too. Sort of 'behind the scenes' if you will. I'll scout the place out first so that I can sort of guide you towards which trails and stuff she'll like. I'll find the best spot for a romantic picnic and get it set up." I stated

"Ah, I see." Brent replied, thoughtfully

"You can stop and take some breath-taking photos along the way which will give me enough time to get the picnic set up and ready to go. All you gotta do is navigate her through the right trails and have fun taking photos!" I smiled at him

"You're a great sister-in-law already!" Brent laughed

"Oh wow. I just thought about this. You're gonna be my brother-in-law!" Tim laughed, beautiful brown eyes twinkling

Brent laughed too making me smile. Did Tim think about Taimi and Austin? We had several weeks to get everything planned. Brent had the ring. Now I had to do my part to make this as memorable as possible for them both. After we'd finished eating, we headed back to the venue. I had some secretive planning to do and the way my sexy hubby was looking at me, there may be some sexy fun times in store this afternoon! Taimi was working on, or trying to, her parts to the DVD extras. Austin was sitting next to her and apparently was doing whatever he could to distract her.

*******************************************

Tim and I had scouted the trails yesterday. I plotted the best trail I thought Kirsi would like. Tim had picked up a couple of the maps so that we had one and I had one to mark for Brent. He and I had been texting back and forth about where they were going to live and he was more than happy to "share" our property with the house that would inevitably be built for my sister. Knowing my dad, it would a wedding present for them as well!

Tim and I left shortly before Brent was to pick up Kirsi. I had already given him the map I'd marked for him so he could memorize which way to go. My goal was to help him make this as memorable and romantic as humanly possible. As Tim and I walked along, I would stop and write little love notes in the sand for him (Brent). He sent me a text after they'd arrived. Tim chuckled at my nervousness. I would feel so bad if she turned him down! Tim was carrying a picnic basket for us while I was carrying one for Brent and Kirsi.

Tim and I had taken all the "touristy"/"romantic" photos of us in this park yesterday. I had picked out an amazing spot to have a picnic at for my sister and hopefully soon-to-be brother-in-law. As we arrived at the special spot, I set my picnic basket down. I was setting up some wireless cameras in several places so I could video the proposal. She may not be a flashy girl but she is sentimental. While I was setting up my small cameras, Tim was helping me by spreading out the big, thick blanket we'd brought for them to sit/lay on.

For their actual picnic, I got as romantic as I could. Peanut butter & jelly sandwiches cut into heart shapes, fruit cups, bacon and cheddar deviled eggs (and I had to make some for Tim and I, lol). What romantic picnic would be complete without chocolate dipped strawberries?! I dipped some strawberries in milk chocolate and others in white chocolate and some in both. I also found a nice bottle of a sweet wine that I thought my sister would like. 

I set a white rose on the blanket, leaning up against the basket, and set out the small bottle of wine and the two glasses for it. Tim pulled me into his arms seeing me begin to fuss over the "scene". His lips on mine instantly calmed me down and I melted into him.

"She's gonna love it. Don't worry, ok?" He said, kissing me again, "Now let's get out of here before she sees us!"

His statement made me giggle as he picked up our basket. I grabbed his hand and laced our fingers together. Oh, how I loved this man! We walked on a good ways before picking out our own little spot. This place really was scenic and I sighed happily as he spread out our blanket. We were sitting there with me in between his legs, leaning up against his chest with his arms wrapped around me. Words weren't really needed as we sat there taking in the beauty around us. 

We took a few selfies before we ate lunch. Brent sent me a text and simply said they were about to make their way back to their rental. I frowned at my phone making Tim laugh. He asked what that face was for so I showed him the text Brent had sent me. He tried to be positive but I could tell even he thought my sister had turned Brent down. We quickly packed up our stuff and walked to where they had been. Everything was gone, including the rose. My cameras were still there since they weren't "visible". 

"Well, maybe this is a good sign. Even the rose is gone." Tim stated

"I hope so. I can't imagine how he feels right now if she did say no." I replied, fighting tears

"Baby, it's ok. Things are going to be fine." Tim said as he grabbed my hand 

I hope he was right! The whole trek back to our own rental was spent with me over-analyzing Brent's text. Was he trying to keep me in suspense? Was he trying to downplay her decision? Had he just not popped the question? Oh my God! What if she got sick and he's taking her back to the hotel?

"Baby! Calm down! I'm sure things are fine. Quit over-analyzing the situation. We'll find out what's going on soon enough." Tim told me, squeezing my hand, "Just relax, ok? I love you."

I looked over at him and smiled, "I love you too. Thanks."

He smiled back as we continued on the trail. Tim was right, though. We'll find out soon enough what went on. I couldn't access the video that I'd taken since I didn't have my laptop on me. It was in the rental. There was no point in trying to check it out as soon we got to the rental, though. We passed families, couples, and a few groups as we walked back to where we'd parked. Would Kirsi ever want to try for kids again? Brent already had a son that he adored.

Brent and Kirsi had already left so we climbed into our rental and headed back to the hotel. The drive back was beautiful. Tim and I both remained quiet even as we walked into the hotel. When I saw Austin and Taimi, I had to laugh. He was giving her a piggy-back ride into the hotel restaurant. She was giggling and I think he was laughing too. Luke walked up and said that everyone was being asked to meet in the restaurant. My heart leapt into my throat. Tim once again grabbed my hand as we walked with Luke. Most of the Shinedown camp was already there and so were all of the Oaks. 

"Hey guys!" Barry stated, flashing us that beautiful smile of his

"Howdy!" Tim grinned as we found seats

"What's this about?" Zach asked, looking around

"Beats me. I was told by Bill that we were all being asked to meet down here." Austin stated with a shrug

Brent and Kirsi hadn't arrived yet and I found it curious. William Lee asked us how the project was coming along. Taimi said editing was almost done and we were working on the DVD extras. It won't be too much longer and we'll be ready for our movie premier. Bill said that he'd talk to the school and see about where we could have it. Taimi thanked him as I was checking my phone.

"Hello everyone! Sorry we're late." Brent stated making me whip around and look at the pair

Kirsi looked.....my sister looked like she was glowing!

"What's this about?" Eric asked with a raised eyebrow

"Well, Kirsi and I have an announcement and we wanted everyone here for it." Brent started out and it immediately made me teary, "So, uh, we had an amazing day and....well.... I asked her to marry me."

Kirsi giggled as shocked gasps could be heard.

"You did say yes, didn't you?" Duane smiled at the pair

"Yes, I did. Look at the ring he gave me." Kirsi replied, showing Taimi the ring I'd helped Brent find for my sister

"Oh wow! That is totally you!" Taimi exclaimed, getting up to give Kirsi a hug, "You did good, Brent."

"Thanks." Brent shyly smiled as Taimi pulled him into a hug

"Hey! This means that Tim and Brent are gonna be brothers-in-law!" Barry exclaimed with a laugh

Everyone began laughing too. I was so happy for my sister. Duane suddenly got serious as he looked over at Austin and Taimi. I quit laughing as I looked over at them too. It was more than obvious how they felt about one another!

"So, Austin. When can we expect an announcement that you two are engaged?" Duane asked making Austin look over at him with the funniest 'dear in the headlights' look I think I've ever seen

"Well, I mean... you know.... We haven't known one another long.... And, uh, you know..." Austin stuttered

"Tim and Lilja are married already." Barry pointed out

"When you know, you know man." Brent added in, "And I think we all know how you two feel!"

"Come on guys. Don't push him into something he's not ready for." Taimi said, sticking up for her man

We all laughed as a cake was brought out. I guess this was an impromptu engagement party! Taimi was getting pictures of everyone hugging the happy couple as I sat there looking around at this amazing group of people. How had our lives turned out this way? Finding life long friends, love, and true happiness? Drinks were brought out and passed around. Toasts were made. I was happy she said yes but a bit surprised too. 

It wouldn't be long and we would be done with this project and would no longer be "on tour" with all of them. What's gonna happen then? Kirsi goes on tour with Shinedown? Taimi and I stay with Home Free? Oh well, there will be plenty of time later to figure out how things will go. We've got to finish up the editing process and get the DVD extras finished. There's still the movie trailers and posters to finish up as well. Now Kirsi has a wedding to plan!


	33. Memories

A/N: What the triplets and their men are wearing for the premiere is at the bottom of the page. Enjoy!

 

About a month later and we had all the DVD extras finalized and finished. Kirsi was almost finished with all the editing she had to do. Taimi had a little bit on her side to do but all my editing was completed. I was working on finalizing the movie posters and trailers. Austin seemed to be a bit more excitable and anxious than usual. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to be wondering what was up with him. 

Bill had said that there was a theatre that had agreed to host our little "movie premier". We wanted the spotlights, red carpet, VIP seating, and places to put up our movie posters. Bill gave us his contact's name and phone number so we could negotiate and plan out the night. Once we had agreed on all the plans for that night, and of course which night we were going to host this on, I sat back and took a few deep breaths.

This was finally coming together. The beginning and the end. It was bittersweet to me. I sent out an email to the school, the professors we wanted to attend, and anyone else of importance we definitely wanted there. Taking a few deep breaths, I decided to call it a day and get ready to watch the Oak Ridge Boys play their show. I sent a text to Jim to let him know I wanted to watch the show. He said he'd bring me a pass so I could watch from the side of the stage. 

Kirsi was giggling as she boarded the bus. Shinedown were off doing something, a photoshoot or something I think is what Brent had told my sister this morning, so I asked her if she wanted to catch the show with me. We'd seen each band play several times since we'd joined them on tour. She grinned and said absolutely! We sat there talking about the crazy time we'd had since we joined this program and how our lives had changed. We were talking about the house that was being built for Tim and I and the property we had, by the Grace of God, had found that was so perfect for what we wanted. 

Taimi had joined us sometime later as we were discussing the property and housing thing. She said wasn't sure Austin would want to leave Georgia but she would love to live in Tennessee with us. I laughed and said he could keep his place in Georgia while you had a house on our property. Tim and I were keeping a "summer home" in Texas which made my sisters laugh. Taimi promised she'd talk to her man about it when they had the chance. We were discussing what Kirsi wanted her house to look like when Tim and Adam boarded the bus. 

We greeted the pair as they found seats. Tim asked if we had any plans for the evening. Kirsi said we were gonna watch the Oaks play making Tim chuckle. We were just joking around and being stupid while we waited for the show to start and for Jim to bring us (my sisters and me) passes. We were gonna be standing on the side of the stage to watch the show which I was cool with. These guys were always phenomenal and it was a pleasure to see them do their thing on stage. Tim was standing behind me with his arms around me as we sort of swayed back and forth to the music. 

Austin had arrived and had his arm draped over Taimi's shoulder. Rob and Kirsi were dancing together and laughing. Chance and Adam arrived a little while later and were standing with us just taking in the show. Duane saw that all the Home Free fellas were at the side of the stage, so before they were to start in on Elvira, he called them out.

"I think we're going to do something different with 'Elvira' tonight. I saw these fine young men on 'Fox and Friends' and became an instant fan. We collaborated with them on 'Elvira' a few years back which was fabulous. I thought perhaps tonight we'd get together and perform their version for you! Let's welcome Home Free to the stage!" Duane stated, earning head nods from his three brothers on stage

"Go on, guys! You don't want to keep the Oaks waiting!" Kirsi laughed as she pushed Rob forward

I kissed Tim before detangling myself from his arms. The group of five were handed mics as they slowly made their way to the stage. The roar of the crowd gave me goosebumps!

"I just want to say what an honor it was to collaborate with the legendary Oak Ridge Boys." Tim said with a smile

I took out my phone and snapped some pictures. Jim talked to their security to let us head to the front of the barriers to get some better shots. This was such an amazing opportunity for Home Free and I knew it was quite sentimental too. The nine of them looked so natural on stage together it was unreal! I blew kisses to Tim as he sang the first verse making him smile back at me. Why was I getting so teary eyed? This wasn't my moment, it was Tim's and the rest of Home Free! 

"You're getting emotional too, huh?" Taimi laughed in my ear

"Yeah. Guess this is what happens when you're in love! Their victories are your victories!" I replied

The crowd absolutely ate this rendition up. Of all the concerts I've ever gone too, I don't think I'd really heard a 'deafening crowd' before. It was so cool for us and I can only imagine how the guys felt. I videoed everything from the time we were allowed in front of the barrier to the guys leaving the stage. That also included all of the Oaks' giving all of Home Free hugs! Let me say, the crowd ate that up too! Joe thanked the boys for coming out for that song and said what a pleasure it was to do it live! 

As soon as Tim had seen me, I quickly opened my arms for him. He picked me up off the ground and spun me around as we kissed. This meant the world to the guys and I knew they were all on cloud nine right now. Austin was in a pretty passionate lip-lock with my sister which made Kirsi giggle. Tim finally set me back on the ground and I was a bit dizzy! I went to hug Chance making Tim chuckle at me. Kirsi was hugging Tim when I went to hug Adam.

"That was so cool. You deserve the recognition, guys!" Luke said with a smile

"That was so unexpected!" Chance grinned

Everyone was in high spirits as we decided to head back to the busses. We'd be leaving after the Oaks' show for the next venue. Austin was giving my sister a piggy-back ride which made me laugh so hard. Tim slid his hand into the back pocket of my jeans and somehow gave my butt a little squeeze. It made me giggle which made him smile. Rob bid us a good night and said he was gonna go call his wife before bed. Everyone else boarded our bus. Most found seats but I headed to the bunk area to change into my jammies. Tim had finally bought an extra pair of pj bottoms so he followed me to change as well. 

Of course, we did take a few minutes for a hot little make-out session! He couldn't keep his hands off me and I couldn't keep my hands off him. As much as I loved touring, I couldn't wait to have a little time off so he and I could just lounge around and make love anytime we wanted. He helped me out of my clothes, not missing the opportunity to smack my butt again, while I tried to find my pajamas in my bunk. When I turned around, he was standing there in just his boxers grinning at me. I giggled but started to get dressed. He pouted, the silly man, so I leaned up to kiss his cheek.

***************************************

Oh my gosh I am so freakin' nervous! There were at least 100 people showing up tonight for this movie premier. We had movie posters all over the campus, several throughout this theatre, and even a few about town. Shinedown, the Oaks, and Home Free have all been Facebooking and Tweeting about it. The lights were already set up, the red carpet laid out, the barriers put up. Our film was ready to be played at any time. We were also throwing an after party at local bar (the Oaks weren't planning on attending the party period so we figured we'd go ahead and do it at this bar) and things were already set up for us there.

We were at a hotel getting ready for this showing. I don't think I'd ever been so nervous in all my life! This was the cultivation of nearly a year's work for us. Working on this project had literally changed our lives. Kirsi had already showered and was working on her make-up. Taimi was in the shower right now so I was just pacing back and forth. Kirsi started laughing at me.

"Calm down, sis. We do great work and this project is no exception." She told me with a warm smile

"I know that but it's not just us in this. We've got big names with Shinedown, The Oak Ridge Boys, and Home Free." I stated, "You know all three of them are going to put this project up on their websites. Millions of people are going to see this."

"It's gonna be ok. Your writing is as solid as always. The editing was carefully done. The project as a whole is going to be fabulous." She countered

"I'm just..... this could make or break our career!" I huffed, still pacing

There came a knock at the door making me jump. Kirsi laughed again and said I should answer it. With a deep breath, I went to open the door. There stood a man from a florist shop. He asked for me and my sisters by name so I said he'd found us. There were three separate bouquets, one for each of us. I let him into our room so he could set them down on the dresser. Kirsi thanked him before he left. They each had a tag with one of our names on it and a note. The one with purple and white calla lilies had my name on it. Some of my favorite flowers! I picked up the note that came with my bouquet as Kirsi was taking hers.

_"When Duane talked to us about doing this, none of us could ever have imagined how you would change all our lives. All your hard work is going to blow everyone away! Enjoy tonight and everything that comes with it. You deserve it baby! I can't wait to see the final product tonight! Just know that I believe in you, I know you're going to go far in life, and I can't wait to support you as you take over the world! I love you so much, Lilja!—Tim"_

His note made me cry! Kirsi was pretty teary too so she and I swapped "love notes" to see what our wonderful men had written us.

_"Kirsi, it seems like just yesterday we were being introduced. I couldn't have foreseen how you were going to change my life then. In such a short time we became friends and somehow along the way I fell in love. You deserve the recognition for your amazing work. Tonight is all about you and your hard work and I am so happy to be here to support you and cheer you on throughout it! I love you and I hope you enjoy tonight!—Brent"_

"Aww, aren't they just the sweetest?" I giggled

"Who's the sweetest?" Taimi said as she exited the bathroom, "Where'd the flowers come from?"

"Our wonderful gentlemen sent them. Read your card. It'll bring tears to your eyes!" I told her before setting my card down on my bag

All my showering stuff was wrapped in a towel so I grabbed it and headed to take a quick shower. Thinking about the flowers and note Tim had sent made me smile. He really was the sweetest, most caring man I'd ever met. How had I gotten so lucky as to be able to call him mine? I showered on auto-pilot as I thought about this past year and how things had changed. Tonight was going to really change our lives. Once I'd finally finished bathing and shaving, I got out and dried off. 

Seeing the dress I'd picked out for the evening brought a smile to my face. It was the same one I'd worn on our first "date" (the one where we were actually celebrating privately our secret wedding). Would he notice? What was he going to think about it? I slipped into my undergarments before leaving the bathroom. Taimi kept looking down at the note on her bed as she tried to fix her make-up. Yes, these gentlemen had really gotten to us this evening! Kirsi was finally ready so she just sat around taking photos of us getting ready for tonight. 

Taimi's phone rang so she headed out onto the balcony to take the call. It wasn't Austin because she wasn't already giggling. With a chuckle, I decided to read the little love note Austin had sent her.

_"My dearest Taimi, I can't express how proud I am of you. Y'alls work is always extraordinary and tonight will be no exception. I am so very grateful to have you in my life and get to share in these moments with you. I hope you know that I'll always be your number one fan no matter what you do! Tonight will probably be a bit over-whelming so don't forget to take a moment just to breath and enjoy the experience! I can't express what you mean to me or how much I love you or just how truly proud of you I am! See you soon! XoXo—Austin"_

Kirsi told me I should finish getting ready because the car would be here before we knew it to take us to the theatre. She was helping me curl my hair while I did my make-up. Simple black and silver smokey eyes with a glossy red lipstick. Sexy black dress. We wouldn't get to see any of the fellas until we got to the theatre which did bum me out a bit. We had hired a couple of photographers and a videographer to document the whole evening but I knew people would be taking tons of selfies as well. I couldn't wait to see what our big group would be posting to our private Facebook group!

"Are we ready?" Kirsi asked as she checked her phone

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." I stated, throwing my lipstick, wallet, room key, and cell phone into my black clutch

Taimi took a breath, "Yeah. As ready as I can be."

"Wait. We gotta take a photo together before we get to the theatre." I stated

"I'll take one for you." Luke said as we walked out into the hallway

He looked good in his black pinstripe suit. Kirsi thanked him as I handed my phone over to him. The three of us stood together, arms around one another's waist as he snapped a few photos of us. We thanked him with tight hugs. He would be meeting us at the theatre so we bid him a short goodbye and headed downstairs to our awaiting car. It was a sleek black Lincoln Continental that we'd be driven to the theatre in. Our driver helped us each into the backseat before walking around and climbing into the driver's seat. We each took a quick selfie as we drove the short-ish distance. 

Before we knew it, we were pulling to a stop. We could hear cheers from outside and it made me feel like a Rockstar! Someone opened the door so Taimi, who was sitting closest to the door, climbed out. I was next since I was sitting in the middle. Kirsi was the last to exit the car. There were tons of fellow students, a lot who'd come out to our very first 'movie premier', on both sides of the barriers screaming and cheering as we exited the car.

We all smiled and waved at everyone as we slowly walked from where the car had stopped down the red carpet to the door to the theatre. Several students wanted us to pose for pictures with them so we graciously did. Have I mentioned how we were feeling like rock stars?! We inched our way up the red carpet and suddenly they crowd were screaming even louder. I turned around to see all of Shinedown stepping out of their limo. Barry caught my eye and we smiled at one another. The door to the theatre was opened for us and we stepped inside.

We'd done this with _"Animal I've Become"_ but it was no less surreal this time around. Even more so since we had several big names involved this time! We looked at our movie posters and all I could do was stare at them. Things had turned out even better than we had planned for them at the theatre. The owner walked over with a huge smile to shake our hands. We were very quick to thank him for allowing us the use of his theatre and to help us get everything set up for this showing. 

He told us it was his pleasure and that he was looking forward to actually seeing our project. He also told us he'd had countless people ask him about the "movie" after seeing our movie posters! We had decided to go all-out and do a live-feed of the red carpet for anyone who had arrived already and were just sitting in the theatre. Could my sisters see me shaking because I felt like I was about to cause an earthquake! Everyone had assigned seating so there was no use in getting here super early to find "the best" seats. At the back of the theatre, it was sort of roped off for all the special people (the bands, us, anyone we'd personally invited like our two favorite professors, etc), for what we were calling **OUR** A-listers!

We had set up for free drinks and popcorn for everyone who was in attendance. We also had little "gift bags" with a copy (signed by all the bands and us) of the DVD, 8x10 glossy photo of all three bands together that we'd taken at one of the photoshoots we'd done, and a personalized thank you note from us. I'm sure people couldn't care about hearing from us but we still felt the need to give a thanks to everyone who had helped us on this project and to everyone who had come out to see this. My nerves were kicking in again making Kirsi laugh slightly. 

We were ushered to our seats. Brent, Austin, and Tim would all be sitting next to us so we just sat down and waited for the fellas to arrive. About twenty or so minutes later and we saw Shinedown coming into the theatre. All five of them looked incredible. Jake was attending too since he did have a part in the film. The three of us stood up to give them hugs. Jake was quick to compliment us on how we looked making us blush. Brent moved to hug Kirsi while the rest stood around talking with us.

We were taking some selfies with Shinedown when, a few minutes later, the Oaks arrived looking very dapper. The love between everyone was amazing and I don't think we could have asked for a better group of fellas to work with! They were all quick to compliment us as they pulled us into hugs. We all took selfies with them too and Kirsi wanted to get a group shot of them together. All that was missing, really, was my husband. As we stood around talking, the theatre owner James walked over and asked if we were going to speak a little bit about this film. Taimi said we would say a few words before the film was shown.

"Here I was thinking I'd be the prettiest one around." I heard Tim exclaim

We all laughed as the Oaks moved so that Home Free could get to their seats. Tim looked me up and down making me blush. He was quick to pull me into his arms and give me a kiss. _"You're going to be the death of me one day"_ he whispered in my ear. I had to smile at him. We gave all the Home Free fellas a hug before Kirsi asked them to group together so she could take their photo. We were all standing around when James returned. He asked us to head to the front. We turned to the three bands we'd worked with and said that we were going to speak about this project before the film was shown and that if they wanted to say anything, they should head to the front with us.


	34. Film and After-party!

All of Home Free and the Oak Ridge Boys followed us down to the front. James smiled as we made it down to where he stood. The last people were coming in and finding their seats. Once everyone who was coming had arrived and were seated, he smiled and introduced my sisters and myself. I was handed the microphone he was using.

"Hello everyone! First, we would like to thank each and every one of you for coming out to our film premiere of _"Over the Hills and Far Away"_. There is a little goodie bag that should have been on your seats when you arrived as a thank you for coming out this evening. This project was based off of Gary Moore's song _'Over the Hills and Far Away'_. 

We chose it because we thought the story was great but it seemed to lack an ending. We all hope that you enjoy our telling of this story! Secondly, I want to give a big, big thanks to Shinedown, the Oak Ridge Boys, and Home Free. They're the stars of this project and truly made this a memorable experience for us." I said, trying to be as professional as possible before turning to the men standing behind me, "Do any of you have anything to say?"

Duane walked to where we were standing with a smile so I handed him the microphone.

"On behalf of the Oak Ridge Boys, we want to thank you for allowing us to be a part of your project. We had a blast working with you fine, talented young ladies. We want to thank you for writing parts that kept true to ourselves. Your writing was professional, respectful, and genuine. We feel blessed to have been a part of this. Thank you." Duane said making me tear up slightly

Tim moved to stand next to Duane so the older man handed off the microphone to him. I wasn't sure what to expect from Tim. He smiled at me before addressing the audience.

"Home Free can't thank you ladies enough for allowing us to be a part of this project. We didn't quite know what to expect when Duane approached us about this college project by three students. We are all so thankful that we decided to take part. The story writing is exceptional, the cinematography is great, and we all had such a good time doing it. We all hope everyone enjoys this film as much as we've enjoyed helping make it." Tim said before looking over at me and smiling

James thanked us before telling everyone to enjoy the film. Tim held his arm out for me to take so I did. We all walked back to our seats and I could feel myself beginning to shake in nervousness again. There were no previews so the film started right away. As we sat down, Tim grabbed my hand and laced our fingers together. The first scene started and my breath caught in my throat. We had tried so hard to be professional and get everything in the best quality that we could. Seeing this on the big screen just blew me away!

Seeing Tim and I during the love scenes made me giggle. How could we have known we'd actually wind up together? The attraction that was already bubbling under the surface was not only on display but it was clear as day on the big screen. The way he was looking at me, even though our "characters" were in love, somehow seemed all the more real as I sat here holding his hand with his wedding ring on my finger! He gave my hand a squeeze so I knew this was getting to him too. 

The dark parts, as in where Zach was framing Tim for the robbery, actually turned out even better than I could have imagined. The lighting was fabulous and I was so thankful that we had really good equipment to use this time! People laughed at the parts that were supposed to be funny, gasps could be heard during certain parts, and there were even some _'awws'_ at parts. I had to laugh at someone who yelled out _"noooooo"_ when Tim's character was sentenced to prison!

It made me feel good that people were actually reacting to our work. It said that we had done our jobs as story-tellers and elicited an emotion from that scene. Watching our film made me teary. Everyone had been so professional, with the few exceptions from Zach, and they were so good on camera. Even Jake who made an excellent prison guard! It made me laugh and brought tears to my eyes when at least half the audience began cheering, screaming, and going _'aww'_ at the final scene. Tim found Lily and whisked her away to start their life together in a new place where no one knew them. It was meant to be sweet and romantic and apparently everyone loved the ending.

The house lights when up as our credits rolled. I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. Brent was hugging Kirsi, Austin was passionately kissing Taimi, and everyone around us were all smiling. Tim pulled me up out of my seat to squeeze me to him.

"Ladies that was fantastic! Great cinematography, great writing, respectful. It was amazing and I am so thankful we were a part of such a wonderful piece." Duane said as he walked over to pull me into a hug

"Thank you, Duane. That means a lot." I said with a smile

"There's an after party, right?" Eric asked as we walked to the isle 

"Yep. Just for cast and a small selection of people." Taimi replied making Barry smile at us

"This was truly fantastic, ladies. You could be film makers! But, I guess us old guys will see you tomorrow. Enjoy your party!" Joe said as he went to hug me and my sisters

We started making our way out to the lobby of the theatre. People kept stopping us to tell us how great our film was, how professional it looked, and thanking us for inviting them to the premiere. Everyone seemed to have really enjoyed it and all said they loved the goodie bag they'd received. We were hugging people and taking photos with them which seemed to amuse our companions. 

We finally had to bid everyone a goodbye since we had to get to our after party. Jake and Don were coming, some of our fellow students whom we'd gotten to be friends with, of course Shinedown and Home Free, and a few other select people were going. Shinedown had their own limo for the night so they took that to the bar with some of the students that were going. Home Free had a limo so we rode with them. Everyone else had their own rides. Tim had pulled me onto his lap as soon as we'd entered the limo making me giggle.

 _"That was truly incredible, baby!"_ he whispered in my ear making me smile. The whole group expressed how amazing the film had turned out and thanked us, once again, for allowing them to be in it. The ride to the bar was quicker than I expected. Of course, that always happens when Tim is kissing and nibbling on my neck! Kirsi hit me on the leg before she climbed out of the limo. Tim and I climbed out, with him making sure to give my butt a tap, as Shinedown were climbing out of their limo.

We had a goodie bag for all the attendees of the after party. They were sitting on a table as soon as you walked into the bar. In it was a small movie poster that we'd created especially for the after party with the date, place, and _'Over the Hills and Far Away'_ movie premier after party at the top in gold lettering. We also had a specially made keychain and water bottle in it. We were greeted with cheers and hollers which made my sisters and I feel really good!

Kirsi waved at everyone as we walked through to a table that had been reserved for the twelve of us. Jake, Don, Luke, and Jake (from Shinedown) were sitting at the next closest table to us. Tim and Austin pulled out mine and Taimi's seats which made me smile. Drinks were ordered as we sat around and waited for the rest of the invitees to arrive. Tim was resting his arm on the back of my chair and I was leaning into him. Finally, we were told that everyone who'd been invited had arrived. My sisters and I looked at one another. 

Barry clicked his glass to get everyone's attention. Kirsi thanked him as everyone who was in the bar turned to watch my sisters and I stand up. We moved to stand close to the bar so everyone could see us.

"Hey guys! We want to thank everyone for coming out to our little after party! All three of us really hope you liked our film. If you haven't noticed, there's a table right over there..." Taimi said pointing to said table, ".....that has some bags on it. Take one! They're just for those whom we invited to the party! We'd love to talk with everyone and hear what you think of our project!"

"Absolutely! I know we said it at the theatre but we really want to give a big shout out and a huge, huge thanks to the Oak Ridge Boys, Home Free, and Shinedown. It wasn't easy to film in between everyone's schedules! They were always so professional and made our job a lot of fun. I think they all did such an amazing job in this, don't you?" I asked making the crowd yell and cheer

"We've thanked pretty much everyone but I'd like to give a shout out to Lilja. She wrote the story and it was just magical. She always has a way of pulling emotion from whatever she writes and it just amazes me. It couldn't have been easy to write love scenes like she did not knowing who exactly would be playing each role. So, I just want to thank her for her excellent writing." Kirsi smiled at me

She and I hugged making everyone cheer again. We all waved at the crowd before Taimi shouted out that it was time to party! I looked over at our table and several guys were filming our little speech which made me chuckle. Tim and I locked eyes and for a brief moment the world stopped. He always knew how to make me feel like the only person, and the most important person, in the entire world. We were just standing around talking with anyone who came up to us asking about or giving their opinions about our project.

We were laughing and having a good time. We answered questions as best as we could. Yes, some people even wanted to know about the love scenes between me and Tim. It was hard to give professional answers, especially since we were now married after such a short courtship, but I did my best! People still wanted to take photos with us so we obliged as much as possible. Right now I just wanted to sit down and talk with my husband and friends! 

We slowly made our way back to our table. Austin, Tim and Brent sure seemed to be keeping an eye on us as we, little by little, made our way back to the table. Tim leaned over and kissed my cheek as I got settled in my seat.

"You ladies sure know how to work a room!" Barry laughed, flashing us that beautiful grin of his

"Thanks." Kirsi chuckled as Brent leaned over and whispered something in her ear

"Ladies, your project is absolutely stunning. Truly great work." Professor Bouvier said with a warm smile

"Thanks, Sir! That really means a lot. I just hope that it lives up to our standards and previous work!" Taimi stated

"Believe me, it does. Your passion, dedication and hard work always shine through your projects. It's not hard to see that you bring your A+ game when you do these projects." Professor Bouvier retorted

"I gotta say, those love scenes were really tasteful." Barry said, earning head nods from everyone, "You showed just enough 'action' and skin to let people know what you were doing without being over sexual or depraved. It was, like I said, very tasteful but adult at the same time."

"Thanks, Barry! It was very hard to write scenes like that and make them adult and yet not porn-ish or disgusting or anything like that. I was trying to show that these two people were in love and that they were having this affair without going over the line." I smiled at him

"You did very well. The writing as a whole was really great. Everything came together so fluidly!" Brent told us

"Aww, thanks!" I smiled at him as Kirsi looked away and giggled

Sometime later, a slow song came over the speakers. People were dragging their dates out onto the floor. Tim held his hand for me, which I gladly took, and led me out onto the floor. Austin already had Taimi out on the floor when we arrived. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Brent leading Kirsi. Tim wrapped his right arm around my waist and pulled me close to him. All I could do was smile up at my husband as we slow-danced together.

"I can't even express how proud I am of you." Tim told me, staring into my eyes as we danced, "Your project should win Oscars!"

"Oh stop!" I blushed, "But thanks for your support. It means the world to me."

"I mean it, Lilja! You ladies do really professional work. What are you going to do after you graduate?" He asked

"We've got several companies who are very interested in us joining them. But honestly, I'm not sure. Our lives have changed so much lately. . . ." I trailed

"You know I'll support you no matter what you do. Our home is being built, your sister is going to be married soon...ish...." He stated with a smile

"I know. You boys haven't even hit the height of your popularity yet. I can't wait to be there as you guys make it to the stars!" I said, "You mean the world to me and I know our lives are just beginning. Not just Home Free or my career. But you and me....." 

"We can do anything as long as we have each other!" He grinned at me

He leaned down and kissed me making me moan in the process. I was in absolute heaven right now! How could things get any more perfect than they were at this very moment? As the song ended, he dipped me which made me giggle. We were kissing as we stood there making several people go 'aww'. Grabbing my hand and lacing our fingers together, he led us back to our table. Barry and Jake smiled at us as we got settled in our seats. 

We would be officially turning in this project tomorrow morning. Our time with these guys would be over soon and we'd have to go back to our campus. Or would we? I hated the idea of being away from Tim and I know Taimi would hate being away from Austin. Why couldn't we continue our remaining college online and just stay with the guys? Of course, we'd have to find our own bus but I'm sure our dad could figure something out for us!

"What's got you so focused over there, Lilja?" Professor Bouvier inquired as more drinks were brought to our tables

"I don't want to go back to campus. I want to stay on this tour." I replied, making several guys turn to hear the conversation

"The university won't pay for a bus. How would that work because I know their bus is crowded enough as it is." Professor Bouvier stated with a chuckle

"I'll text my dad and see what he could do for us. We've all gotten so close in such a short amount of time. And as you are well aware of, I'm married now. I don't want to be apart from him." I stated, looking down at the shot that had been delivered

"There's nothing wrong with that, Lilja. I completely understand. I'll talk to the Dean tomorrow and see what we can set up. You talk to your dad as soon as you can, though. You'll be missed on campus." Professor Bouvier said with a smile

"How much longer do you have until you graduate?" Rob asked

"Another two years for our Master's Program." Kirsi replied

"Oh wow!" Chance exclaimed, making my sisters and I laugh

"Well there's really only about twenty-five or thirty students in the Master's program. These ladies are in the top of the entire IT program. They're very talented, gifted, and smart." Professor Bouvier said, beaming at us

"Oh, we're not that good." Kirsi humbly stated

"What we watched at the theatre is a testament to what you ladies are capable of. You are that good." Our professor stated, smiling warmly at us

The rest of the night was spent chatting with our friends, talking with the guests to our after party, dancing, and taking a well-earned breather from the chaos that was our project. The guys were so awesome, they took photos with anyone who wanted a picture with them. We'd told them they didn't have to but they all insisted it wasn't a problem. Tim leaned over to kiss me and I think Taimi took a photo of it. Of course, I took several photos of her and Austin and their cuteness. 

As I looked down at my sisters and the men they were with, I began to realize that we wouldn't always be together. At some point they're gonna want to go out and live their own lives with their own families. For the longest time that thought hurt me. If they weren't near me, or me near them, I couldn't protect them if they needed me. As I sat there watching everyone, I started to realize that perhaps that time of our lives was over. There was always the possibility of our "mother" coming around again and starting trouble.

Somehow, we'd surrounded ourselves with amazing people. It was time for me to move on and let go of all the negativity. That was easier said than done, of course. Tim made me feel safe and loved and deserving of love. These guys made me happy and kept us laughing. A conversation Duane and I had had once came to mind. Would I really and truly appreciate this right now if we hadn't gone through the life we'd had growing up? I can't say one way or another. 

_"What are you thinking about? You seem angry and upset all of a sudden."_ Tim whispered in my ear

I looked over at my husband. There was concern and love in his face. Looking into his beautiful chocolate eyes, I pulled him in for a deep kiss. We pulled away and I smiled at him.

 _"I'll tell you later."_ I simply stated making him smile at me


	35. You can't leave me!

The amazing night went on and eventually we closed the bar down. My sisters and I needed to stay after wards to load up anything that we had left. Kirsi was thanking the bar owner for all his help and his graciousness in lending us the use of his bar. Professor Bouvier had his SUV so we loaded it up and then headed off to the hotel. Tim helped me get the few things we had left over into my room. I was slipping out of my shoes when there came a knock at the door.

Tim opened it up for me and then moved to let whoever it was enter. The rest of Home Free and Taimi had entered. I smiled at everyone as they found seats around the room. Tim was sitting behind me and leaning up against the headboard of the bed. I was still in my dress so I was trying to be careful of how I was sitting!

"Well tonight has been a lot of fun!" Rob smiled

"I know we said it a few times already but we'll say it again. We gotta thank you guys so much for being a part of this project. You really made it a lot of fun." Taimi stated

"Exactly! It didn't feel like work and some of your outtakes were just awesome!" I laughed

"It was definitely our pleasure!" Austin stated, giving Taimi's waist a squeeze

"Duane talked to us about it and said it would be a great opportunity for us to network and reach a new audience. We talked with Luke about it and he agreed. I don't think any of us could have foreseen how life changing a decision that was going to be!" Chance laughed

"Either way, we're very thankful you fellas decided to take part." Taimi smiled

"I think we can all say that we are!" Tim laughed

We sat around talking for a little while before people began to yawn. We bid everyone a good night as they left to head back to their own rooms. Brent had rented a room for him and Kirsi so I had our room all to myself tonight. Alone. In a hotel room. With my husband. Yeah, you know what we did the rest of the evening! ***inserts sexy, fun times here***

We had to actually go to our campus the next morning so I was up early to get a quick shower. Tim was still sleeping soundly so I tried my best to not wake him up. I was wearing some ripped up jeans, black and pink Adios sneakers, and a plain black tank top. I grabbed my wallet, cell phone, room key and then bent down to kiss his forehead. He smiled in his sleep making me smile back at him. Even when he's asleep, he's absolutely adorable! I carefully exited my room so as to not wake him up. Taimi was already at the elevator so we headed down to the lobby in silence. 

Kirsi was already down there waiting on us when we arrived. There was a cab on its way to take us to the campus. Professor Bouvier sent me a text saying we needed to talk to the Dean after we submitted our project. As we rode to the university, I began texting our dad about acquiring a bus as quickly as possible. We pulled up to the campus so Kirsi paid the cabbie while Taimi and myself climbed out. It actually seemed weird to be back on campus. We'd so gotten used to being on the road with the fellas. I was feeling so good so I was strutting on the way to our professor's office to turn in our project.

He expressed how great our project had turned out as we were copying our project from our flash drive to the laptop he always used for this purpose. Taimi told him we were going to be switching all our classes online so we could go back out on the road with Home Free which seemed to surprise him. He wished us the best and said that we'd be missed on campus. Kirsi thanked him as we bid him goodbye. We did still need to talk to the Dean. 

Today was shaping up to be a pretty good day. Professor Bouvier was in the office when we finally arrived to speak with the Dean. Janet, the secretary, gave us a friendly smile as we entered. She was one of the friendliest, most upbeat people I've ever met. She always seemed to just make you feel better without even saying a word. We had to wait a little bit since the Dean was already in some meeting. The three of us sat there in silence. Dad was texting me about busses so I asked Professor Bouvier about where they'd leased the bus we had been assigned.

Dad and I text back and forth about it. I wasn't exactly looking forward to having to pack all my stuff and move busses again. We did like the bus we were on now and it made me sad we would have to give it up for a different bus. Before I knew it, we were being called back into the Dean's office. He had been invited to our 'movie premier' last night and I'm sure he saw how Tim and I were looking at one another. 

We talked about our project and what he thought of it. We talked of being on the road with Shinedown, The Oak Ridge Boys, and Home Free. We talked of the relationships we'd developed with these fellas. When Kirsi started the conversation about us wanting to do the rest of our schooling online, he laughed. It confused me at first! With a warm smile, he said he understood and had no problems in helping us setup doing our school online. Talk about a sigh of relief! 

He wished us the best and said that he'd have everything ready by the end of the day. We'd have to come back in later in the day to sign papers and stuff and of course we'd have to find our own ride but that wasn't a problem! We thanked him profusely as we stood up. Yes, today had been very productive so far! We all shook hands before we left his office. Dad had texted me and said that our bus was now actually our bus. He even mentioned having one created for us with the guys in mind but it would take a year to complete and we'd need to sit down and choose designs and what-not for it. 

Taimi called a cab to take us back to the hotel. I was paying the cabbie so my sisters walked into the lobby. For some reason, I felt like I was on cloud nine. Things were going good so I should have known something was going to happen. As I turned around to walk into the hotel, something hit my side. It hurt like a sombish! Instinctively I was on guard and in fight mode. 

"There's my worthless, violent cunt of a daughter!" I heard Gail, my 'mother', exclaim as she came from somewhere

"What the fuck?!" I yelled as I stood up and prepared for whatever was about to go down

"So I hear you're some kind of big shot now." Gail stated, "You owe me."

"Owe you? Owe you what, you fucking bitch?" I spat back

"Hit her again!" Gail demanded

Gail's drug dealer boyfriend, Gary, (they met sometime between our older brother and her getting pregnant with us) had his three sons with them. One of them, Jason, was the one who'd hit me the first time. He tried to hit me again but I ducked. 

"Leave me and my sisters alone." I stated, "Before you really piss me off and I hurt you."

"This Facebook posting shows she's married, Gail." One of Gary's other sons Johnny stated

"Does that loser know what a violent psychopath you really are? Or how you've treated your poor mother all these years?" Gail asked with an almost evil laugh

"I'm only going to tell you this one more time: **LEAVE US ALONE."** I said, voice calm and steady but firm

Jason went to hit me again but I caught the metal pipe he was using to try and beat me and yanked it out of his hands. The dumb kid looked surprised which was almost comical. I shoved Johnny out of the way and tried to make my way into the hotel. Right before I made it to the double glass doors, I was shoved hard. So hard, in fact, that me and my pipe busted through the door. Let me say, glass penetrating your body is not a pleasant experience. 

"What the hell?" I heard someone inside the hotel exclaim

I stood up and mentally prepared for the fight of my life. Kirsi and Taimi were no where to be seen and I silently prayed that they were already upstairs safe in their rooms. 

"What's wrong, little girl? Don't have the balls to beat up your mother any more?" Caleb, Gary's youngest son, said as he tried to goad me into a fight 

"I have more balls than any swinging dick here. I've also learned over the years which battles to take and which battles to walk away from." I stated, slowly backing up 

I could see that the group of five thought they were winning this little battle. They were wrong. Gary called me a "pathetic, scared little girl" and then laughed making the rest of them laugh. He was wrong. Dead wrong. I was neither scared, pathetic nor the same 'little girl' I used to be. Caleb tried to rush at me but I swung that pipe and wound up hitting the kid in the side of the head. He was holding his head and yelling about the pain. My phone rang in my pocket but I couldn't answer it. 

I only hoped that the Oaks and Home Free could forgive me for whatever I was about to do. 

"Oh, little girl..... I'm gonna have fun with you. Fun like I tried to have years ago. . . . " Gary sneered at me

"Where's the other two at?" Johnny asked

"You so much as lay a finger on my sisters and I'll make sure you never walk again." I warned before raising my pipe above my head then bringing it down on Caleb's hand

I could hear the crunching sound of his fingers breaking even through his very loud screams. Injuries are sustained in war. War is what I found myself in. 

"What are you gonna do about it?" Gail asked

"I already told you what I'm gonna do. This is your last warning. Leave this hotel and leave us alone." I stated, voice steady and calm

Gail huffed and told the three remaining "men" to get me while she went and searched for my sisters. Three-on-one are not great odds. Clearly, these people are not going to be rational and willing to talk. This is where all my years of fighting comes into play. This is where the psychopath in me comes out and I do whatever I have to in order to keep myself and my sisters safe. Gary ran straight for me as did Johnny. 

I side kicked Johnny hitting him pretty hard in the knee as I swung the pipe around and hit Gary in the chest with it. In a swift move, I swung the pipe backwards and hit Johnny in the same knee I'd just kicked. Caleb was still nursing his very messed up hand. For effect, I swung the pipe down as hard as I could again on Caleb's other hand. Yeah, it was pretty messed up now too! As a matter of fact, I think I broke both his hands. Jason came running at me so I swung my pipe and hit him in the side of the head. Then I proceeded to elbow him in the face. Blood began dripping out of his nose so I hit him once more breaking it. 

Gary was on my immediate left as he grabbed my left hand so I swung the pipe and hit him in the gut. He doubled over in pain so I hit him again, this time in the knee with the pipe. Johnny back-handed me in the face splitting my lip causing it to bleed. I kicked him in the same knee I'd hit previously making him squeal in pain. 

"Imma fuck you up, bitch." Jason stated as he rushed at me knocking us to the ground

He began punching me in the face. Because of the position we were in, I had the advantage of kneeing him in the testicles. It wasn't hard for me to crawl out from under him as Johnny yanked me up off the ground. The pipe was still firmly in my hand so I swung it at his head. There was no point in trying to be "nice" about things anymore. This was an all-out war and I had to do whatever I could to survive. I hit him a few more times as hard as I could with this pipe. I'm pretty sure I fractured his skull in that little assault.

"Lilja!" I heard Taimi call out

"Get back to your rooms! Stay upstairs!" I yelled back

"No! We're in this together." She stated as Gail ran at her, "I got this bitch. You take care of the guys."

That's my sis. Just as stubborn and hard-headed as I am sometimes! I was afraid she was going to get hurt but I really did need the help. There was no point in looking around to see who was downstairs. My focus needed to be on my attackers. Three-on-one were still not good odds but I was gonna go down swinging! Taimi was holding her own so I wasn't as worried about her. Johnny somehow grabbed me from behind. I closed my eyes and tried to refocus myself. With a head butt to his face, he let me go but not before Gary got in a couple quick punches to my face. 

Johnny let me go so I took the opportunity to punch Gary in his sad little drug-addict face. His nose and lip started bleeding which seemed to make him angry. I was wailing on Gary, hitting him everywhere I could with this pipe, when Jason pulled me off him. Johnny and Gary decided to try and tag-team me. Yeah, that went over really well! I used Jason as leverage by grabbing his arms and basically lifting myself (or really my bottom half) up to kick Gary in the face. I'm pretty sure I broke his nose. 

Gary backed off as he was trying to stop the bleeding from his nose. Caleb was wailing about his hands. Johnny and Jason were the only two left. Jason spit on me. That was it, I sort of blacked out as I went absolutely berserk. Honestly, I'm not sure what happened next. Things got so chaotic and crazy. I know I broke quite a few bones, including ribs, hands, and someone's leg. I might have even shattered someone's knee. 

Fists were flying and insults were thrown. Not that, that really mattered. Suddenly someone yelled that the cops were on their way. I yelled out to Taimi to make sure she was ok and she yelled back that she was fine. Someone else screamed so I turned to see what was going on. That brief moment was all it took. There was a very sudden and intense pain in my stomach and right afterwards in my chest. 

"Oh my God....what did you do?!" Gary stuttered

Did I forget to mention that I wound up knocking a few of his teeth out?

 

"Let's fucking go!" Gail shouted, "Now!"

"Oh no you don't, you fucking bitch!" Taimi exclaimed, grabbing a fistful of Gail's hair and yanking her back

We could see the lights from the cop cars and hear the sirens. Johnny was on the ground unconscious and bleeding. Caleb wasn't in much better condition than his brother, although he would regain consciousness then pass out again. I was just trying to keep Jason from running away as I bled all over the place. Screams were heard again so I let him go and stumbled my way to the elevators. If I was going to die, I at least wanted to die looking at the man who made me believe I deserved love. No, I'm not going to die. I've sustained much worse injuries than this. I'll make it! The cops started shouting at people and then shots rang out as the elevator doors closed.

I pressed the button for our floor and prayed they were all there. If not, I would probably wind up passing out in the hallway. Who knows what would happen to me then! My body was beginning to shake and I felt weak. I willed my body to keep on fighting. It's just blood loss, I don't think anything is super serious. As soon as the doors opened up, I saw a familiar blond. He was standing by the door to the first room on the left. I think he was talking to someone in that room but he might've just been on his phone. 

"Adam.." I called out making him turn around

"Hey Lil..... oh my God!" He said as he turned around 

His eyes went wide when he saw me covered in blood. It made me feel bad about scaring him like this! He was quick to grab me as I stumbled towards him. I grabbed him by the arms to help steady myself. He was terrified, I could see it in his eyes, and I was sure none of them had ever seen anything like this before. He slowly moved us where we were sitting on the ground. He took his phone out of his back pocket and called someone. All he said was to get to the elevators on our floor and it was dire. 

"Adam.... I love you guys." I started

He was sitting with his back to the wall with me situated in between his legs. The poor kid didn't quite know what to do and I couldn't apply pressure to either of my wounds.

"You're...you're gonna be fine." He stated, clearly freaking out about my condition

"Listen to me. You guys have made these last few months the best of our lives. You're all so sweet and funny and caring. All three of us love you guys to death." I told him making him tear up

"What in the fuck happened?" Austin exclaimed as he dropped to his knees by where we were sitting, "Where's Taimi? Kirsi? Are they ok?"

"Sweetie, I need to move your shirt so I can look at your stomach ok?" Jake said as he approached us, "Adam, Austin, one of you needs to put your hands over her chest wound and apply pressure. This is gonna be a group effort. Stay calm everyone, ok?"

Austin took a deep breath and did as Jake instructed him to. I could see the fear in his eyes as he watched Jake slip my shirt up to look at my stomach wound. I did my best to stifle the scream as he started messing with the wound. As I did, I felt poor Adam's body tense up. Clearly these boys had never been in any type of life-and-death situation. That was both a blessing and a curse, really. But this was my life. I was used to this. How many times had I gotten injured to protect my sisters? I always came out the other side relatively ok. This would be no exception. 

"Kirsi is in Brent's room with him and Zach. Taimi is downstairs talking to the police and being seen by the paramedics. She wants to know about Lilja's condition." Luke said as he appeared from the elevator, "How is Lilja?"

"This stomach wound might be serious. I can't tell if it's hit any veins or arteries or anything vital. I still need to check out the chest wound." Jake explained calmly

"How's Taimi?" I asked

 

Seeing me in this condition, Luke decided to call my husband. He said that he needed to come out by the elevators. 

"She's got a few minor injuries but she swears she's ok." Luke replied as calmly as he could

 

Tim, Chance, and Rob all darted out of Tim's room and jogged down to where we were all at. I could hear the shocked gasps as they approached. 

"Oh my God baby!" Tim exclaimed as soon as she'd seen me

"Timmy, I love you. Always remember that." I stated, "You made my life...."

He dropped to his knees next to us and grabbed my hand. This is why I didn't tell them I'd been stabbed the last time! I can't take it when he gets emotional. It makes me even more emotional! But, I love this man and even in his emotional state, he's still beautiful.

"Don't talk like that! You're gonna be fine!" He was quick to say even though his eyes were full of tears

"Listen to me, Tim. I'm used to these injuries. I'm also used to coming so close to death I'm having tea with Satan. You made my life worth all the pain I've been through. I love you, and them, so much." I stated, watching his face and the tears that were already slipping down his cheeks

"Give Jake some room, fellas." Luke told the group, "I'll call downstairs and get the paramedics up here."

"I love you so much, Lilja. You can't..." Tim quietly said, _"....you can't leave me."_

"The stomach injury is pretty bad. I need to check the chest. Austin, come down here and apply pressure." Jake said as he stood up so they could switch places, "Darlin', I'm afraid I'm gonna have to cut your shirt off."

I chuckled, "Enjoy the view, guys!"

"She's gonna be fine if she's making jokes!" Rob stated, trying to ease the tension

Poor Adam was just holding me there with me bleeding all over the place and all over him. I winced and groaned as Jake began looking at my chest wound. 

"I'm sorry, Lilja. I'm not trying to hurt you." Jake stated

"Oh, I know." I said through gritted teeth, "I can handle the pain."

"Just because you can, doesn't mean you should have to." Chance stated, earning head nods from some of the others

 

It was starting to get hard to breath and I wanted to close my eyes. Jake told Tim to keep talking to me. Tim asked me to look at him so I did, albeit slowly. He got me talking about our unfinished house and about throwing a house-warming party when it was done. 

We talked about Brent and Kirsi's house on our property and how Austin didn't want to move from Georgia. It made me chuckle which made Austin smile shyly. We talked about taking a vacation, just he and I, when I was better. He moved so he could kiss me. Now that, I really loved. If that didn't make a woman want to fight with everything she had to survive, I don't know what would! He just kissed me all over my face making me slightly giggle.


	36. I'm a Survivor!

After the paramedics arrived on our floor, I'm not sure what happened. When I woke back up, I was in a hospital room. I groaned in pain and I could hear a gasp. Turning my head to where the sound had come from, I found Kirsi sitting in a chair beside my bed.

"Welcome back to the land of the living." She smiled at me

I swallowed and found my throat and mouth felt so dry. She asked if I wanted something to drink so I just shook my head yes. Kirsi helped me get a drink of water from the plastic cup the hospital gives its patients. As I leaned back, she called for the nurse to come in. A little while later, a plump middle aged nurse walked in.

"Well hello! It's nice to see you finally awake! I need to take your vitals and ask some questions and then I'll get the doctor, ok?" She asked with a smile

I couldn't really talk so I just nodded my head. We just sat there in silence as the nurse took all my vitals, asked me questions that I was able to just nod yes or no to, and then left. Kirsi grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Everyone was and is very worried about you. Luke had hell convincing Home Free that the best thing they could do was continue on with the tour. Taimi's with them right now. I've been keeping everyone up to date on your condition." She told me with a smile

I sighed. This was not something I wanted them to see. Why is it I was so worried about dying? Or, really, why was I wanting to see Tim so badly?

"Good afternoon, young lady! You sure gave us a scare! How are you feeling today?" An older doctor stated as he came in with the nurse

I just shrugged indifferently. The nurse smiled warmly at me as the doctor looked over at my sister. He asked me if I was feeling any pain so I nodded yes. He smiled and said he'd prescribe me a good pain killer. Kirsi thanked him.

"I'll look at your stab wounds before I go. They weren't life threatening but your body did go into shock. We were able to stop the bleeding and close up both wounds. You might be well enough to go home tomorrow." The doctor told me

"Thank you!" Kirsi stated

The doctor had the nurse help him look at both my wounds. He was concerned about the stomach wound but said he'd prescribe an anti-biotic and ordered it to be cleaned more often. The nurse just nodded. Before the doc left, he looked at me and said over all things were looking good and that he liked the improvements I had been showing. I just nodded as he smile at me then patted my leg. The nurse said she'd be back in a few minutes to clean my wounds again as well as bring me the pain medicine and antibiotic. Kirsi thanked her before she left. 

"They had to go in and do some emergency surgery to close up a vein that had been nicked. It was like a slow leak in a tire, so they say. You did go into shock and you've been medicated up until this morning." Kirsi told me

"How...." I tried to speak, "How long have I been here?"

"About three days. Every few hours, I shoot a video to show your vitals and that you're still alive because Tim keeps blowing up my phone checking on you." Kirsi chuckled

I smiled at that. He was a very sweet man! I hated that I'd worried them all so much, though.

"Oh! They all did send you flowers, some cards, and Tim sent you that bear." Kirsi said as she reached for the cards and bear that were sitting on a table

It was a cute little bear wearing a t-shirt that said _"I love you beary much!"_. I had to smile at that. Kirsi handed me some of my "get well" cards as she took her phone out. She started videoing me reading these cards which made me laugh.

"Hey guys! Guess who's awake! How do you like the bear your adoring husband sent?" She asked

I hugged it to me with a smile.

"I guess that means she likes it!" Kirsi chuckled, "As you can see, she's reading the sweet cards everyone sent to her. She's not talking much but that's to be expected. The doctor just left after checking her out. We'll have to see how tonight and tomorrow morning goes, but she may be released tomorrow! As always, I'll keep everyone informed. Talk to you beautiful people later!"

There was one of those crappy reclining armchairs that allowed someone to sleep in that my sister had apparently been sleeping in the last few days. I felt bad but she seemed so upbeat and happy. Despite, I guess, not really being conscious the last few days, I sure as hell felt exhausted! She put her phone down and leaned over to talk to me. I didn't speak much but I did answer questions as best as I could.

She talked about a conversation she'd had with Taimi about our living situation. Austin really didn't want to leave Georgia and Taimi was on the fence about it. She hated not being with me and Kirsi but where they lived wasn't something she really wanted to argue about. I chuckled. Taimi was almost as stubborn as I was at times. Kirsi said that she'd told Taimi that the guys toured a lot and that it wouldn't be like we'd never see one another again if she decided to move to Georgia to be with Austin. 

I nodded my head in agreement which made Kirsi smile. My sister told me that she and Brent had talked about it and they had no problems living on our property since they'd have their own house and space. I was getting sleepy again so my sister told me to get some rest. Get rest in a hospital? Is she crazy? I grabbed my bear and hugged it to me as I closed my eyes. Nurses coming in and out of my room taking vitals, taking blood, and other things kept waking me up. It was aggravating to say the least. 

The next morning, the doctor, surprisingly, came in to check on me. I felt a little more hydrated than I did when I woke up yesterday. He asked me questions and I answered them. He checked my vitals and then checked on my two wounds. Everything was looking good, according to him. He wanted to see me walking around a little bit to make sure that things were really ok with me. The nurse came in to unhook me from some of the monitors before helping me out of bed. She and the doctor walked up and down the hall with me.

When we'd returned to my room, Kirsi was busy texting someone. Probably Tim or Brent. The nurse helped me back into bed while the doctor looked over my chart. He finally looked over at me and smiled. 

"Your vitals, tests, wounds all look good and you don't seem to have any major problems walking. I'm going to order bed rest for two weeks, along with an antibiotic and pain medicine. Other than that, I see no reason that you shouldn't be released." He told me

"Thank you so much, doctor!" Kirsi happily exclaimed

"I'll get all the paperwork together and get those prescriptions put in. Get some rest and get better, OK!" He told me with a smile and pat on the leg

"You can pick those prescriptions up downstairs at the pharmacy. It'll probably be an hour or so before all the paperwork is ready but you can get dressed and packed up now if you'd like." The nurse told me, "I'll go ahead and unhook from all the monitors and everything."

"Thank you." I told her with a smile

Kirsi got up to get a bag while I cautiously climbed out of the bed. She tossed the bag onto the bed and told me to take it with me to the bathroom. There was definite pain while I walked but it was expected. Doing pretty much anything was going to take a bit longer but that's ok. I'm alive and that's all that matters. There was a pair of low-rise jeans, clean bra and panties, and a Home Free t-shirt (I had to laugh at the shirt, I'm sure Tim or Austin probably helped pack this bag), as well as my flops. Getting dressed was a pain, literally, but I winced and groaned my way through it.

The ugly hospital gown was left in the bathroom. Kirsi smiled at me and said everything was ready to go. All we were waiting on now was the release papers and to go get my prescriptions. She was on the phone with a car rental place. We'd have to drive to the venue which was two states over. Kirsi had apparently talked to the nurse about flying and it was decided that flying would not be good for me in my current condition. So Kirsi was renting us a car and we were gonna have to make the long drive. 

She rented us, with our dad's help of course, a very nice luxury car. It was all about comfort, especially since I was nursing two stab wounds! We didn't have anything, really. Phones, her laptop, small bag with clothes. Once the nurse brought in all my discharge and after care paperwork, Kirsi helped me downstairs to the pharmacy. My stuff wasn't ready yet so we sat down and waited to be called. My phone dinged so I carefully took it out of my pocket. There was a new text.

_"I can't express how happy I am to hear that you're being released! I know it'll be a day or so before y'all catch back up to the tour but I still can't wait to see you! I love you so much! Call me when you feel up to it!"_

I had to smile at my hubby. He was the sweetest man alive and I was so fortunate to be able to call him mine! I decided to scroll through our private Facebook group and re-watch some of the videos that had been posted. It always brought a smile to my face and made me feel better about things. These men had become so important to us in such a short amount of time! I loved them all dearly, one obviously a little more than others, and felt bad that I had scared them so badly. Kirsi poked my arm and said my name had been called. 

She helped me to get my medications and then outside to call a cab. We would be heading straight to the car rental place. Hospital food sucked so she suggested we find somewhere to have breakfast before actually getting on the road. Food sounded good so I agreed. I remained outside, leaning against some car, while she went in to talk to whoever she needed to about our rental. She did all the work as I just stood there. I felt bad but she reassured me that she didn't mind. 

She finally pulled the car around so I slowly walked to the passenger side and very delicately sat down. Once I was settled, we took off to find a bit of breakfast. Honestly, I just wanted to go back to sleep. It was how my body healed itself. Breakfast was spent in silence as I tried to keep myself from falling asleep on the table! Thankfully my sister was able to preoccupy herself with working on their wedding plans. Food was brought, how had time gone by so quickly?, so I ate as much as I could. I think I was fighting a losing battle with sleep which made my sister laugh slightly.

She paid out and then we were on the road. Thank goodness we had a GPS or we might have gotten lost! Shortly after we hit the highway, I leaned my seat back and went to sleep. Kirsi was a capable driver. When I woke up, we were at a gas station. Cautiously sitting up, I began to look around. She was almost done pumping gas. When she was through, she walked inside. The keys were still in the ignition, so I took them out and then climbed out of the car. I made sure to lock it before walking into the building. 

My bladder was screaming at me so I went to find the restroom. After I did my business, I went to find my sister. She was at the coffee station fixing her plastic cup of coffee. 

"Where are we?" I asked

"Uh, we're about two hours from the venue where the guys will be at in about four hours." She told me

"Omg, you've been driving straight through?" I exclaimed

She chuckled, "Yeah. Coffee and potty breaks keep me awake." 

"You shouldn't have to drive this much. We could have gotten a hotel. Or you really should have woken me up to drive." I faux-scolded her

"You can't really, or should I say you shouldn't, be driving in your condition. I know how badly you want to see Tim and how badly everyone wants to see you. Traffic hasn't been too bad and it's been a pleasant drive." She told me

"Sis..." I started out before she threw her finger up to shush me

"We're nearly there so there's no point in arguing with me. We'll be there before you know. Besides, we're gonna get there before everyone else anyways!" She chuckled, "You should probably get you some water or Gatorade. You need to keep hydrated."

I stuck my tongue out at her making her laugh. I picked up two bottles of the Fruit Punch flavored Gatorade. That was my favorite flavor! Besides, I was feeling pretty thirsty. We paid for our stuff then slowly walked out to our rental. I handed the keys over to her so she could unlock the car. We climbed in and promptly got back on the highway. I tried to stay up but I was getting sleepy again. About half my first bottle of Gatorade had been drunk by the time I decided to just lean my seat back and go back to sleep. 

A light rapping woke me up. Opening my eyes, I found Tim standing by the car smiling at me. Kirsi unlocked the car so he opened the door and kneeled beside me. He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine before I even got the chance to sit up! Tim helped me out of the car before carefully wrapping his arms around me. This was heaven! We walked onto our bus and sat down on the couch. Slowly everyone else began filtering onto our bus including Taimi and Luke. 

"Welcome home, sweetie!" Luke stated with a smile, "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been stabbed twice." I retorted making a few people laugh, "Tired though. My body always goes into hibernation mode when I've been injured like this. I'll sleep and sleep and sleep until my body has healed enough."

"We are so glad you're doing better. Everyone's been so worried about you!" Rob told me, giving me a warm teddy-bear smile

"I hate that you all had to witness any of that." I said before looking at Adam, "And I really need to apologize to you, Adam. Bleeding all over you probably freaked you out something awful."

"I'll admit I was pretty freaked out when I turned around and saw you covered in blood, stumbling a bit, and looking really pale." Adam confessed making Rob give his shoulder a squeeze, "I'm sorry I didn't quite know what to do."

"Oh sweetie, we wouldn't really expect you guys to know how to handle situations like that. Not that, that's a bad thing! We all hate that you had to go through something like that." Kirsi told him, giving the group a warm smile

"We didn't expect any of you to really know how to handle situations like that. I hope you never have to know how, either." Taimi added in, "But I think after this incident, we may not have to ever worry about this happening again."

"Why?" Rob asked

Taimi just smiled but didn't respond to the question.

 

"I don't how you and Jake stayed so calm. Brent said Kirsi was more concerned with how Jake was handling things with Lilja than whether or not she was going to die." Adam stated

"We're.... well, we're used to it. I've always been the one to patch her and Taimi up." Kirsi replied, "I guess through the years we've become sort of desensitized to the whole experience. We just do what we gotta do, ya know? Besides, Jake is a former Marine. I know he knows how to handle that type of stuff." Kirsi explained

"I was just worried you were going to die right there on the floor with me holding you. I didn't know what to say, what to do...." Adam confessed, getting a bit emotional

"Oh baby, don't beat yourself up over it. I'm alive to fight another day! I was actually coming up to find Tim. You're the first one I ran into." I told him, "I'm really sorry about freaking you out. I can't imagine how you'd feel if I had died. That wasn't really my...."

"It's ok. Like you said, you're alive to fight another day! Jake was calm and was patient with all of us as he instructed Austin what to do." Adam said with a smile

"I'm sorry. I felt like I was groping you." Austin chuckled

"Sweetie, when you have a gun shot wound or stab wound, you need to apply pressure to slow down the bleeding. That's all you were doing. You may have saved my life, Austin. Remember that." I explained, "But I meant everything I said while I was bleeding to death in the hallway. We all love you guys and I sincerely hope you all enjoyed the view."

Everyone laughed remembering that. Kirsi and Taimi looked at me funny.

"Jake had to cut my shirt open so he could look at my chest wound. I told the group to 'enjoy the view' since they'd have a great view of my chest. If that was one of the last things I said, I at least wanted to leave them with a laugh." I chuckled

"Hey! I don't appreciate you flashing my man!" Taimi exclaimed, trying to be serious

Everyone burst out laughing again. The tension was gone it seemed as everyone saw that I was, indeed, alright. Tim kept both hands on me, one around my shoulders and the other holding my hand, which made me chuckle. Luke turned to me suddenly.

"I saw the police video of what transpired downstairs." He told us, "I....I mean I've read your file but to see....just remind me never to make you angry!"

"Good. You won't like me when I'm angry!" I stated, doing my best to keep a straight face

"Did you just make an Incredible Hulk reference?" Adam questioned with a raised eyebrow

"Maybe." I smirked making everyone laugh

"I want to see it. That video." Tim suddenly stated

"No" I was quick to say

"No? Why not?" Chance questioned

"You guys don't need to see that shit. Believe me." Taimi replied for me

"We just want to..." Austin stated

"I'm the most violent, psychopathic person you'll ever meet if I'm provoked. I don't want you to witness that part of me." I stated

"We're big boys, we can handle it." Tim countered

I looked at him. There was something there in his face. It was almost like he needed closure. To see what had truly happened.

"Lilja, you've told us all about how you grew up. You've told us about some of the horrid things you had to do. We still love you. Nothing is going to make us not want you around, ok?" Rob softly told us

"Fine. If you wanna see it, be my guest. I am going to go lay down and sleep for the next few days." I said

"Get some rest, sweetie. We'll be here if you need us!" Austin stated

"That's right! You're never getting rid of us!" Tim added in with a smirk

"I really love you crazy fuckers!" I grinned before leaning over and kissing Tim's cheek


	37. Oh, baby!

Boy has time flown! Who really knew two years could change our lives so drastically?I healed up nicely from my stabbings. Gail and Jason were found guilty of several crimes and were sentenced to harsh prison sentences. Both were, ironically, attacked in prison and wound up dying from their injuries. I guess I should have been more upset at the passing of Gail but all I did was go out the night I found out and drank in celebration. Duane and I had several very lengthy conversations about forgiveness, healing, and moving on. 

Now that I knew that part of our "family" wouldn't be bothering us anymore, I was finally able to really move on. Forgiveness was hard for me but I talked with Duane a lot about it. He reassured me that the fact I was trying was enough. _"Just trust in the Lord and he'll guide you, heal you, and bless you"_ he always tells me. Not having the burden anymore made my life even better. 

 

Here we are. Life has been great. Brent and Kirsi have left on their honeymoon. Austin and Taimi finally moved in together in his house in Georgia about a year ago. Oh yeah, they were expecting a baby! One night of drinking and letting themselves succumb to their passion, desire, and love. Mine and Tim's house has finally been completed and Brent & Kirsi's house was almost finished. 

Taimi and I were doing a lot of media stuff for Home Free while Kirsi was doing media stuff for Shinedown. We were close to graduating with our Master's degree and I was so thankful schooling was almost over. Of course, we were already working in our field but that's another conversation! FifGen wanted us to work with them but we were hesitant to get tied down to one company. They were very understanding about it which made me happy. 

We did work with them on a music video but it wasn't for Home Free. We really liked working with them and were quick to say so. They were fun and playful yet very professional and had the same work ethic as us. We were more free lancers and liked being able to do various things. FifGen were so gracious to us and said they'd love to work with us again. Networking was a good thing!

Adam and Ericha just announced they are going to be having another baby. Rob and Kelsey had just thrown a party for their second little girl's first birthday. I rubbed my belly and smiled. Tim and I were expecting our first child any day. People told me I should head home at least for the last month but there was no way I was going to be away from my hubby. As soon as my dad found out he was about to be an Isoisä, he had a bus constructed especially for us. 

I felt bad that this bus was just for Tim and I. Well, ok, it was for us and my sister and Austin. We didn't want crying babies to interfere with the sleep of the rest of the band and crew. We had a nursery in front of our small-ish bedroom. Taimi and Austin had a small bedroom in front of the nursery. Yes, the four of us were going to be living together with two infants on a tour bus! There was a full-sized bathroom next, a full-sized kitchen, lots of cabinet and closet space, a half-bath up front, state-of-the-art everything, and a very large "Living room". Each bedroom had a large flat screen TV and blu-ray player. I asked our dad to make sure each bedroom, including the nursery, was as sound proof as possible! 

Since my dad told me about having this bus constructed, I made him have one made for the rest of the band and crew. It was only fair, after all! He quickly agreed and said both would be ready before I "popped like a balloon". I made sure the bunks were a little longer than normal since almost all of them were very tall. I had an extra bathroom (half bath, just toilet and sink) installed as well. Their bus was a little bit longer than a normal bus, like the "family" bus, so there could be a few more amenities like the extra bathroom and small kitchen. He apparently paid extra, and I don't want to know how much he did pay extra, to make sure they were ready. We've had them for about a week and everyone loves the busses! 

I was standing with Taimi and Luke at the side of the stage at the beginning of the second half of the show. Tim just hit that marvelous super low, and very glorious, note at the end of _'Ring of Fire'_. As he started it, suddenly I felt it. The sensation of my bladder emptying. There was no pain so I took my phone out and looked up what I had just done. As I was browsing the internet, a sharp shooting pain went from my back around my side and to my front. Thankfully no one saw me bend forward. It was then that I realized I was in labor! I guess daddy's bass lines knocked the baby loose!

"What on earth are you laughing at over there?" Taimi questioned, raising her eyebrow at me

"I think Tim's bass at the end of that last song knocked the baby loose..... my water broke and I just had a contraction!" I said as I laughed

Her eyes went wide which made me laugh even harder.

 

"We need to get you to the hospital!" She said making me shake my head

It was humorous to see my very pregnant sister talking to me about getting the hospital. She was just a few weeks from popping herself! Did I forget to mention that earlier? Hehe. 

"I'm not having contractions close enough together yet. They need to be about five minutes apart. I'll wait it out but we should probably be on stand-by." I chuckled

"If you're sure!" Taimi stated, clearly not convinced

"I am very sure!" I said, "Let's just watch the rest of the show. If he knows, he'll be distracted and that's not cool for the fans."

The boys were always on point, always funny, and always put on an amazing show. I did have several more contractions through the show but not close enough together to warrant a trip to the hospital. During their last song, I decided to head back to our bus. I was afraid of being there during another song where Tim hit a super low note! I couldn't help but laugh at that thought. The guys loved hanging out on our bus because of a few things. They could shower and there was a bit more room for everyone to stretch out. It didn't bother me at all that they loved staying on our bus and it just felt like friends staying at your house.

A contraction hit me pretty hard, so I bent over. I'm not sure what good that did but I was trying to breath through it. It's not like I didn't have plenty of practice in dealing with pain! In the heat of my contraction, I didn't hear people boarding the bus.

"Baby, are you ok? What's wrong?" Tim asked, voice dripping with concern as he rushed over to where I was still bent over

"Con...tract....ion." I somehow breathed out

"Contraction?" He asked, "Oh my God! We need to get you to a hospital!" 

"How far apart are they?" Rob asked

"20-30 minutes for the most part, some a little longer than that." I said as I stood up

"It'll be a while before she's ready to head to the hospital then." Rob stated

"Can we do anything for you?" Luke asked

"No. This is something I gotta contend with by myself." I said as I carefully sat down on one end of the wrap-around sofa, "I've watched the Lamaze classes online and I've been injured enough to have a good understanding about how to breath with the pain."

Tim was freaking out, I could tell, and it made me smile. Rob was really calm about things and Adam was fairly calm. Austin looked like he was freaking out too as he looked between me, Tim, and Taimi. Oh yeah, he'd be going through this pretty soon as well!

"When they're about ten minutes apart, let me know. I'll get us re-routed to a hospital." Luke stated

"Pay attention, Austin. You're next!" Rob laughed

Poor Austin looked absolutely terrified. Tim was sitting next to me rubbing my belly which always made me smile. Rob and Adam were watching and I could tell they were thinking about their wives and children back home. 

"So, what made you go into labor? You're not due for another week or so, right?" Luke asked making me laugh

"What's so funny?" Tim asked, raising his eyebrow

Taimi started laughing too when she realized what I was laughing at.

"That super low bass note at the end of _'Ring of Fire'!_ A few seconds after it started, I felt my water break." I laughed

"You've been in labor since the beginning of the second half of the show and didn't tell me?!" Tim exclaimed

"Oh my God that is _soooo_ funny!" Austin laughed, "Tim can send pregnant women into labor!"

"Telling you wouldn't have done anything except make you distracted. I couldn't let that happen. Besides, there's nothing you can really do for me until we're at the hospital." I stated before leaning over and kissing his cheek

"Just remember that, Austin. Taimi's due to pop any day now, too!" Tim smirked making everyone laugh

"And Tim did send me into labor, already! You might wanna keep an eye on Taimi." I added in making everyone laugh

Luke suggested we all head to bed. I was going to have a long night, after all, and I knew Tim wouldn't be able to sleep much. We got settled for bed, with me actually wearing clothes to bed (yeah, we sleep naked...do you blame me? Hehe) because I knew I'd probably have to get up in a hurry once my labor pains really got close together. We were laying there in our bed and he was singing to my stomach. It always brought a smile to my face when he did this. He'd rub my belly, talk to our baby, sing to it. Just watching him with my tummy made my heart flutter. 

Sometime around 3am, a particularly painful contraction hit me. Tim was snoring but when I sat up, he woke up. Have I ever expressed how cute sleepy-Timmy is? If I haven't, he's freakin' adorable! He asked me what was wrong, so I somehow got out that it was a contraction. Tim was such a sweetheart, he began rubbing my back as I rode out this damned contraction. They were getting longer which made me wonder if we were getting close to "show time"? He moved to sit behind me so I leaned back against his chest. We just sat there for a few minutes while he rubbed my belly.

Another one hit me a few minutes later and I started to panic a little bit. He had watched the Lamaze classes with me online so he started helping me with the breathing exercises. Suddenly, he leaned over and grabbed his phone. He timed when the next one would hit so that we knew about how close together they were. We knew the last two were pretty close. The next hit about six minutes later. After helping me with the breathing exercises, he called Luke. 

"I hate waking him up." I stated

"I know baby but it's about time to find a hospital." Tim told me, "Hey man, I'm sorry for waking you. Her contractions are coming in about every six minutes. Ok."

"He's getting up to talk to the drivers. Just breath, baby." He said, kissing my cheek, "We're about to be a family of three!"

"I love you so much Tim." I replied, leaning back against him again

 _"I love you too, Lilja."_ He whispered in my ear

Several contractions later, I felt the bus slowing down. Tim helped me up off the bed before grabbing our "overnight hospital bag". We quietly walked up front. He went back to get our phones and chargers. While he was gone, another contraction hit me. This one nearly made me scream! Another fifteen minutes went by and I watched as we pulled into a hospital. Luke ran from their bus to ours just to tell me to hold on, he was gonna run inside and get a wheelchair for me. I thanked him as Tim helped me up off the couch. 

I think Luke was more in panic mode than Tim was! Taimi and Austin walked up front looking sleepy. He asked me if it was time making me nod at him. He smiled and said he couldn't wait to meet the new Small Fry that was about to enter the world. I had to laugh at the statement. Luke returned so Tim helped me off the bus and into the wheelchair. They walked briskly into the ER where Tim told the staff that we were in labor and the contractions were about six minutes apart. Luke offered to give them all the insurance information while Tim stayed with me. 

You know what was funny? I heard Home Free's version of _"Devil Went Down to Georgia"_ playing. That's not a song that had been released off the album so someone behind the glass was playing the cd! I was immediately wheeled up to the maternity ward and taken to a room. I was given a gown, so my loving husband helped me change. The nurse got me hooked up to all the monitors including the fetal monitor. 

This was it. We were about to have our first child! We would no longer just be me and Tim. Now there was going to be this little tiny human depending on us for absolutely everything. Tim looked over at me and took my hand in his. I looked up at him with what I guess was probably a very terrified expression.

"Don't worry about a thing. You're going to be a great mother." He quietly told me as Austin and Taimi came waddling into my room

"I see they've got you ready to go." Taimi chuckled

"I'm waiting on the doc to get her to see how dilated I am. Then we'll go from there." I shrugged right before a contraction hit me

As I was riding it out, the doctor came in. Austin ushered my sister and Luke out of the room, so the doc could do his exam. The nurse brought me a cup of water to sip on. Tim frowned as the doctor did his exam which made me chuckle. I guess my hubby doesn't like another man all up in my girly bits! 

"Alright sweetie, you're not very dilated yet. What I want you to do is walk around some. Up and down the halls is good. Walking will help gravity. Try walking for about half an hour and then we'll come back and see how far along you are." He told me

I groaned making Tim laugh. The nurse unhooked me from the fetal monitor but I had to stay connected to everything else. Taimi came back in so Tim got them all up to speed. I looked at my sister, so she said she'd walk with me. The nurse asked if that was a good idea. Austin said that she was still a few weeks from her due date making the nurse nod. We bid the fellas a short goodbye as we walked out of the room.

"What's going on?" Taimi quietly asked as we slowly walked down the hall

"I.... I'm scared." I confessed, hanging my head

"Scared? Of what? I didn't think you were afraid of anything!" She laughed

"I'm... well, I'm afraid I'm going to turn out like _her._ " I stated after a minute or two of contemplation

"Lilja, you are nothing like her. You are kind, loving, generous. You are always looking out for others." She told me, "You have nothing to be scared about. You're going to be a great mom. Tim is going to be a wonderful father."

"I just..... he's such an amazing man and I know how much he wants a family. I couldn't bear to hurt him by hurting our child." I stated

"Sis, I assure you that you are nothing like her. You never have been and you never will be. You're an amazing person and this kid is gonna be so spoiled it'll smell!" She said making me laugh 

"So, have you picked out any names yet? Is Austin panicking at being a father?" I asked as we walked

"He is panicking a little bit but I think it's just because he wants to be a great father and is slightly worried he won't be because of all the touring they do." She replied, "Kenzie Marie."

"Aww! That's so pretty! And not weird like North West." I stated making my sister laugh this time

We walked up and down the halls, with me having to stop with contractions each time one hit me, and talked about our budding families and how we were now related to Shinedown. How strange was that?! Of course, the strangest part was the fact that Tim and Austin could one day be brothers-in-law! The thought made both of us giggle like mad!

"Oh my!" Taimi suddenly stated

"What? What's wrong?" I stated, instincts kicking in

"I don't know. Sharp shooting pain in my back. Oh Lord this hurts!" She said, holding her stomach

"Girl I can't hold us both up right now. Grab onto that railing before you fall and hurt you and the baby!" I exclaimed, starting to slowly panic

"It... what the...?" She stated

"What the what? Talk to me!" I exclaimed

"I think I just peed on myself!" She said, face tinging red

"Oh...uh..." I said before it dawned on me, "Oh my God! I think you just went into labor too!" 

"Oh no! This...this can't happen! We're not ready!" She said, face showing the panic in her voice, "Oooooooh!"

"Let's get back to my room. You gotta be checked out." I said right before another contraction hit me, "Ugh shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit."

The walk back to my room was very slow. My contractions were coming closer and closer together. She was having contractions now. Somehow, we managed to get back to my room. The entire gang was there now. 

"What's up baby doll?" Tim asked

"Well you were right. Tim can induce labor in pregnant women everywhere!" I laughed which made everyone look at me funny

"What?" Luke asked

"Taimi's in labor." I stated before looking over at my sisters lover, "Prepare yourself, Austin. You gonna be a daddy today."

"Holy shit, man. Y'alls kids gonna have the same birthday!" Rob laughed

"Oh my God, sit down." Austin said as he took my sister's arm

"I'll go get the nurse." Luke said before he darted out of the room

"I'm sorry." Taimi said, tears slipping down her cheeks

"It's ok. We can do this. We've watched those frightening pregnancy videos. We got this." He told her, making us both laugh

"How are you doing, Lilja?" Adam asked me

"Oh, you know, just sitting here trying to pop a kid out of my girly bits." I stated making the whole room laugh

"Alright Mrs. Foust. Let's see what's going on." The nurse stated

"My sister is in labor now too. Tend to her." I said

"Oh my goodness. Come on, sweetie. Let's get you settled in the room next door. Who's the father?" She asked making Austin stick his hand up, "Well, come on, daddy. You don't want to miss the excitement."

"I can't believe you two are going to have babies on the same day. That's crazy!" Chance exclaimed

"Leave it to us. The only thing that would be crazier is if Kirsi was having a baby too!" I laughed before a contraction hit me

Tim was so sweet, as usual, and helped me through the breathing exercises. The rest of the group just watched with a weird fascination. He helped me get some water before leaning back on the bed. The guys got to talking and being stupid which got me to laughing. A short while later, Austin walked in looking utterly terrified.

"Well. She's definitely in labor. The doctor said she was dilated to like 9 already. Whatever that means." Austin said

"Holy shit, really?! Buddy, you might wanna stay in her room because you might miss the birth of your child otherwise!" I stated making Tim chuckle, "She is seriously close to 'show time' as it were. As a matter of fact, fellas, she may pop before I do."

"Oh God." Austin stated

"Come on, man, let's go check on Taimi." Rob said, trying to help his friend out

"Chance and I will be in the family room. Text either of us if any of you need anything." Luke stated as he motioned for Chance

Rob and Austin walked to Taimi's room before Luke and Chance left us. Adam was apparently staying with us. I think it was really just for moral support for Tim. Adam had been through this before, as had Rob, so they were a little calmer than the rest of the group. Tim was beginning to panic slightly as my contractions started coming closer together and lasted longer. Adam moved to sit on the bed on my right side while Tim was sitting on the left. Before long, the doctor came back in to do another exam on me. Adam walked out of the room to give us some privacy. 

He smiled and said it was just about time for me to start pushing. I think I sighed with relief on that!

***skips the whole pushing a baby out of the girly bits scene***

Tim was stroking my face, tears sliding down his cheeks. I felt so tired but I wanted to see my beautiful baby. Once the nurse cleaned him up, yes we had a boy but wanted to be surprised by the sex, she laid him on my chest. He was so cute!

"Have the proud parents picked out a name yet?" She asked, smiling at us both

I looked up at Tim before saying, "Regan Alexander Foust."

"That's a beautiful name." She said as there came a knock at the door

"Hey guys." Chance said as he entered, "What a cutie!"

Tim took the baby from me and I could have sworn he was beaming!

"I'd like you to meet Regan Alexander. Son, meet Uncle Chance." Tim said as he handed our beautiful baby boy to Chance

"Any news on Taimi yet?" I asked, worried about my sister

"I haven't heard yet." Chance said, looking up at me, "Sorry. Have you gotten pictures yet?"

"No. We've been too busy just looking at him." Tim chuckled

Chance offered to get some pictures for us which I was so thankful for. He got one of Tim holding his son and then of Tim kissing Regan's forehead. My husband laid him back on my chest, so I wrapped my arms around him. Chance got some photos of me and him. Tim leaned over to kiss my forehead making me close my eyes. I could hear the 'snap' of a photo being taken. 

"Knock, knock!" Rob exclaimed as he entered with Luke and Adam

"Hey guys!" Tim stated with a huge grin

"Aww, you had a boy!" Rob gushed

"Yep." Tim said as he picked the baby up off my chest, "Meet Regan Alexander. Son, meet Uncle Rob, Uncle Luke and Uncle Adam."

"He's so adorable, Tim! Good thing he looks like his momma!" Luke joked

"I'm gonna go check on Taimi and Austin." Chance smiled at me

"You're gonna have to share this to Facebook. The fans'll eat it up." Rob laughed

"Probably. But we'll deal with that later." Tim chuckled too

"How are you doing, Lilja?" Adam asked

"Super tired." I chuckled, "But very happy."

"He's adorable." Adam said as Rob handed the baby to the beatboxer

"Why thank you. Lilja thinks I'm adorable too!" Tim said making us all laugh

"No, I think the baby's adorable. I think you're smokin' hot." I grinned at him

"Remember, kiddies, this is how you got the baby!" Rob stated making us all laugh as a knock came 

"Hey guys." Austin's South Georgia accent was heard

"How's Taimi? Any news?" I exclaimed making him chuckle

"She's perfectly fine. I came to introduce you all to Kenzie Marie." Austin smiled as he moved to let me see my niece first

"Oh Austin! She's beautiful!" I gushed, staring at the little girl in my arms

"You have a nephew, by the way. Adam has him right now." Tim told the younger man

"Aww. We finally have a boy in the family!" Austin laughed as he moved to see his new nephew

"Baby, I'll take him over to see his auntie. Be right back." Tim told me as Adam handed our son over to him

"This is so wild. You both had babies on the same day." Rob chuckled

"You know what will be even wilder?" I asked making most of them shake their heads no, "When Austin marries my sister, he and Tim will be brothers-in-law!"

Everyone cracked up. Austin looked at me and for a moment I thought he was going to get upset with me.

"You know, the last few months, I've really been thinking about that. I do love her. She just slipped into my chaotic life with such ease. My family loves her, too. Now we have a baby together." He stated, looking down at his daughter

"Austin, she loves you. If she didn't, she wouldn't have moved to a different state from us. She cares for you and loves the life you two have together." I told him with a smile, "She won't tell you no, I assure you."

He smiled at me before taking Kenzie from me. I smiled at him again before he left to head back to my sister's room. 

"I need to go do some management work. I'll check on you ladies a little later." Luke said, giving my leg a friendly pat

"You guys must be so tired. Why don't y'all head back to the busses and get some rest? I'm sure y'all need to get back on the road sometime today." I stated

"Nah, Luke's working out changing the shows. We'll probably have to leave sometime tomorrow night." Rob told me, "But heading back to the busses is not a terrible idea. We should probably let you ladies try to get some rest."

"See you in a little while!" Adam said, leaning down and kissing my forehead as Tim came back in

Rob told him what they were doing before leaving us alone. Tim was certainly beaming and it made me giggle. His phone was sitting on my bed so I grabbed it and started videoing Tim rocking the baby and singing to him. It was the most adorable thing ever! We had a basinet in my room and there was a reclining chair for Tim to sleep in. I told him he should head downstairs to the busses to get some rest but he said he wasn't going to leave his family.

Regan fell asleep, so Tim put in his basinet. Once the baby was down, he moved to sit on my bed with me. I scooted so that he could lay down. He was laying on his side facing me while I was still laying on my back. Tim started caressing my face with the most loving look I think I'd ever seen.

 _"You should get a little sleep while you can. You must be so exhausted right now!"_ He whispered

 _"I am exhausted. Giving birth is so tiring!"_ I stated making him smile, _"But you're here and I don't want to sleep."_

 _"Baby, I'll be here when you wake up. I'll look after him while you get some rest. This is teamwork."_ He retorted

 _"Sing to me?"_ I asked making him smile

He started softly and quietly singing _"Die A Happy Man"_ which made me smile. I closed my eyes and tried to pay attention to his voice. Unfortunately, it didn't take me long to fall asleep. Tim singing to me, cuddled up together, exhaustion from giving birth.


	38. The End

Kirsi was on tour with Shinedown but we chatted often. They were all still in our private Facebook group, so we shared photos and videos all the time. It made it so much easier to keep track of what everyone was doing! I was married, Kirsi was married, and soon Taimi would be engaged. Life was good! Tim loved documenting everything Regan did which always made me giggle. Dena and Regan had flown out for the weekend after Taimi and I were released from the hospital, so they could meet their new grandson.

Tim's dad thought it was sweet that we'd kept the name going. Kirsi rejoined our tour for a short while after they'd come back from their honeymoon, so she could spend some time with us and her nephew and niece. Dad had also flown out that weekend, so we had quite the family reunion! I can't tell you how many photos and videos were taken that weekend! Tim's parents and my dad got along really well and he offered to let everyone come back to our winter/summer home in Lapland to see the country in the spring/summertime. It made me giggle that they were exchanging information so they could make some solid plans.

So, Austin had taken Taimi out one day for a "couple's day out" so I said Tim and I would babysit. Of course, everyone knew what the plan was. Rob and Adam were grilling outside the bus while the babies were corralled in their playpen. We had bought several open tents for days like this. We could sit outside and enjoy the beautiful weather without getting sunburned. We had the radio going and several of us were sitting around playing Skip-Bo. The babies' laughter always made us smile.

Everyone was relaxed and just having a good time hanging out. Austin was doing the real work today although I had helped him pick out an appropriate engagement ring. I'm not sure if he'd just gotten tired of people bugging him about _"when they were gonna get married"_ or if having a baby together made him realize their lives were permanently intertwined now or if he'd been fighting with himself for a while about his feelings. When he came to me and expressed he was finally ready to _"settle down and be a family man"_ I had to giggle. He was already settled and the whole group were honestly family men. I gave him my blessing and said I couldn't ask for a better brother-in-law than him.

I was excited to attend their wedding which Austin and I had already talked about. Sweet, southern country kind of wedding in Georgia in the spring. I was already working on plans for their wedding which made him happy. Regan started crying so I set my cards down to tend to my son. Tim smacked my butt as I bent over the playpen making me laugh. It was nice to see that there was still a spark of passion between us. That was one thing I was afraid of when I found out I was pregnant. We'd get wrapped up in our child and wouldn't have any passion or time for one another. 

Regan was stinky, so I walked to the nursery to change him. He was still a bit fussy, so I went to fetch a bottle for him before walking back outside. Tim smiled at me as I sat down. I got to play my turn as I fed Regan. Life was.... Strange... but somehow my sisters and I found that we really loved this life. Touring with the fellas, seeing all these places, just hanging out with friends and family, and raising our children with these amazing men. Kenzie began crying making me chuckle.

"Sorry, babe, my hands are full." I smirked making him stick his tongue out at me

He picked her up out of the playpen and then took her inside to change her. I was getting a bit anxious to hear from Austin and Taimi. Of course, they weren't due back till this evening. He had planned a sweet but romantic day out and I was sure he was going to make it a day she'd never forget! As the sun began to set, it started to get a wee bit chilly. I decided to take the babies back inside. Tim took Regan while I took Kenzie. 

It was time to give them a bath and then ready for bed. Kenzie was giggling as I cautiously splashed her with water in the sink in the bathroom. Tim entered with Regan and grinned.

"You are so good at this." He said, gently rocking back and forth, "Maybe we should have another."

"Yeah, let's wait a while, Cowboy." I chuckled making him smile back

"I mean it, though. You are so good with both of them. And I absolutely love seeing you holding my son in your arms as you feed him or read to him or just rocking him. And I do want a bigger family." He told me, "I don't mean having another kid right away. But I would love to have more children with you."

I just smiled at him through the mirror. It didn't take long to really bath children that are a few months old. When I was done with Kenzie, I picked her up and wrapped her in a towel. I drained the water in the sink before filling it part way back up. Tim helped me by stripping Regan and carefully setting him in the sink. He took Kenzie to dry her off and get her dressed while I bathed our son. Hmm. Have another child? Maybe in a year or two!

Once Regan was cleaned up, I wrapped him in a towel and took him to the nursery. I dried him off, diapered him up, and got him in his little onesie that read "Small Fry" on it. He was beginning to get a bit fussy, so I walked to the kitchen to fetch a bottle. Tim was rocking back and forth in front of the couch while singing to Kenzie. I sat down and fed Regan while Timmy sang. He turned around, saw us sitting there, and smiled. Kenzie had fallen asleep but Regan was wide awake!

Tim went to lay little Kenzie down when I heard a ruckus outside the bus. I didn't think Austin and Taimi had gotten back yet. Curiosity getting the better of me, I walked off the bus, Regan still in my arms. 

"Who's bus is this?" I heard Jenika demand

"Jenika, what are you doing here?" Rob questioned, spatula still in his hand

"I want to speak with Tim. Right now." She demanded

"What do you want, Jenika?" He asked from behind me

"Timmy! Baby, can we talk?" She asked, making me cock my eyebrow at her

"Whatever you wanna say, you can say right here." He stated, moving to stand next to me

"Who's she?" Jenika said as she looked over at me, still holding Regan

"You've met her before." Tim stated, flatly

"I don't recognize her." Jenika huffed

I could see everyone was very uncomfortable. Perhaps I need to hand Regan to his daddy and take care of this little tart once and for all.

"Who's bus is this? I don't recognize it or the other one." Jenika stated

"This bus belongs to us, Austin & Taimi. Lilja is my wife." Tim stated, "Speak your peace or leave."

"This is the same bitch I saw in Vegas?" She said, looking at me with venom

"That's right you stupid little tart. He's mine and I'm his. If you don't leave him alone, you're gonna find out just how violent I can get." I growled at her 

"What do you want, Jenika?" Tim asked

"We need to talk. Privately." She stated

"About what? I'm not in the mood for games. My son needs to be put down soon and I like reading to him before that." Tim said

"Your son? Then you'll be happy to know that, that bastard has a big brother. You and I have a child together." Jenika stated making everyone gasp

Not me. I growled. Apparently, it was frightening to Nate because he looked at me with a bit of fear in his face.

"Two things, bitch." I started out, "Call my son a 'bastard' again and you won't walk away from this. Secondly, don't be a lying hoe."

"I'm not lying!" Jenika retorted

"How old is this kid?" Tim asked

"He's about two. That night in Vegas was magical. I never could have guessed you'd have given me such a wonderful gift." She smirked

"The night in Vegas? After our run-in with you, Chuck, and Christina?" I asked making her nod at me, "So when did you meet up with Tim?"

"It was about midnight." She grinned like she was winning

"Oh, that's right. I remember now." I stated making Tim look at me questioningly, "Your spirit left your body, as we were fucking like animals, to go impregnate her. I remember you telling me that but I was so enthralled in the earth-shattering orgasm that I must've forgot."

Tim began laughing so hard I thought he was going to wake Kenzie. Regan began giggling too which made everyone else crack up. Jenika began to get really angry. So much so, that she picked up an empty beer bottle and threw it at me. Nate jumped up, since he was the closest to me, to shield me and Regan. The bottle hit him in the back and I knew it had to hurt. 

"I'm only gonna tell you this once. **Leave. Now.** " Tim demanded, looking at Luke, "Lilja, board the bus."

"Hell no. I'm the better fighter. Believe me, I'll make this bitch regret coming over here." I smirked

Luke grabbed her by her arm and began dragging her away from the group. Tim turned to me and asked me to board the bus. I narrowed my eyes but something told me to do as he asked. Smiling at him, I leaned up to give him a kiss. He motioned to the bus so I turned and boarded it. I hated leaving him out there to deal with her but I also didn't want our son to get hurt. Walking to the nursery, the screaming match could be heard. Tim was beyond pissed. Everyone else boarded the bus except Luke and Allen. I laid Regan down in his crib before checking on Kenzie. Thankfully she was still asleep!

Austin and Taimi returned as I was checking out poor Nate's back. I had apologized to him for getting hurt and then thanked him for shielding us. Taimi looked very happy as she was pulled down onto Austin's lap. Rob said that grilled baked potatoes should be done soon, the chicken and sausages were done already, and corn on the cob was done. Austin smiled at the teddy bear of a man as Tim boarded the bus. He walked straight over to me and sat down.

"You know that.." He started out

"She's a completely delusion fucktard? Yes. Do I think you fathered a bastard child with her? No. Do I think she's gone crazy? Yes. Am I worried about her? Hell no." I smirked before leaning over and kissing his cheek

"Well, I see it's been interesting evening!" Austin chuckled

"The babies were just put down for the night. Bathed, fed, and now sleeping." I told the proud parents

"Awesome! I am hungry, though." Taimi stated, "Thanks for babysitting."

"Our pleasure." Rob chuckled

"So, other than the craziness as we came back, what's everyone been up to today?" Austin asked

"Oh, just hanging out outside playing Skip-Bo!" I replied with a smile

"Sounds like fun! Y'all still playing?" He asked

"I think our game stopped when she showed up." Nate stated

"Anyone wanna play?" Taimi asked

"Sure! It's not too cold outside to stay out there, is it?" I asked

"Nah. And if it gets too cold, just snuggle up to Bass Man!" Rob chuckled

We all laughed heartily. Adam, Nate and Rob all decided to play with us as did my adoring husband. The babies were asleep, food was almost done, and the boys had the night off. Time to just relax and have a little fun. Taimi was giggling so I looked over at Austin. He seemed to be glowing, so I wondered if things had gone the way he wanted them too? As we all found seats around the long folding table, I decided to ask.

"So, how did y'alls day go?" I asked innocently

"It.... Uh...." Taimi stuttered

"I did it." Austin stated making Taimi blush, "And she said yes."

"Y'all are finally engaged! 'Bout time!" Tim laughed, "But seriously, congratulations! Have any ideas on when this shin-dig will be?"

"Sometime in the spring." Austin stated, "In Georgia."

Adam was shuffling the cards and Nate was passing out drinks (beers or sodas whichever you wanted), while Rob checked on the taters. Everyone congratulated the couple making my sister blush slightly. It was official.

************************************************************************

Tim and Austin were brothers-in-law. We were working in our chosen field and seemed to be doing pretty good. How could life get any better? Three years had gone by. Three very wonderful years. Two more Home Free records. An actual world tour. More popularity. Longer shows. And something else. Some called it a miracle. Others called it fate. A few others just called it freaky. 

Kirsi and Brent were expecting their first child together. Lyric was so excited to finally be a big brother. A few days after Kirsi told us they were going to be parents, Taimi discovered she, too, was pregnant. Austin was thrilled to have another baby. This time with his wife. Despite having a toddler, Tim and I had a very, very active sex life. Guess what? A week after Taimi and Austin's announcement, Tim and I had an announcement of our own!

"You guys are going to kill us, you know that?" Austin laughed as Regan and Kenzie ran up wanting to play with their daddies

"Wait a minute. All three of you are pregnant and should be giving birth within about a week of one another?" Rob asked

"Just like last time." I laughed, "Except Kirsi's in on the pregnancy too!"

"Oh boy." Rob laughed

"I'm the boy!" Regan exclaimed making us all laugh

"You're the only boy right now. What if mommy or Aunt Taimi has a boy?" I asked my son

"Can I play with him?" Regan asked

"Yes. You can also teach him stuff. Like reading, how to tie his shoes, what pizza is the best." Tim chuckled

"Ya!" Regan exclaimed making us laugh again

Kirsi kept us in the loop about her pregnancy throughout. Nine months sure went fast, too. But then again, with two toddlers to occupy our time it's not really surprising! The fans all seemed to pretty much embrace me and Taimi. Especially when we showed Austin and Tim with their children. Even the Shinedown fans had wholly embraced Kirsi and Brent's relationship. Well, except a small percentage of them who wanted him back with The Thing. Everyone who knew Brent knew how much better off he was with Kirsi. 

It always made me laugh when the Home Fries wanted to rub our bellies or take photos with us. Around D-Day, as Taimi and I liked calling it, we were hitting the same city as Shinedown. They were playing a much bigger venue than Home Free but that was ok with everyone. We all got together for lunch and so we could compare bellies. I think I lost track of how many photos were taken! Some of each couple, several of all three of us, some of all six of us together. And yes, several were posted to their official (HF and SD, I mean) Facebook, Twitter, and Instagrams. Fans just loved them which always made the fellas smile.

Taimi and I were, obviously, at the Home Free show. Luke was helping us watch Regan and Kenzie (who both had ear protection on) as they danced around and watched their daddies and uncles "work". My phone rang so I answered it. Kirsi was on the other end and seemed to be crying. Upon asking what was wrong, she started freaking out which didn't help. I finally got out that she had peed on herself and now was hurting. When it dawned on me what she meant, I started laughing. I told her she was in labor and that I'd get to their venue as quickly as I could. 

I asked Luke to watch Regan for me because Kirsi had just gone into labor. Brent needed to stay at the venue since they were headliners. He promised me he would and that he'd tell Tim what was going on. I got Taimi up to speed and she said she'd bathe and feed the kids before getting them ready for bed then she'd head to the hospital too. I called a cab as I walked outside the venue. I asked him to wait for me because I was getting my sister and we needed to head to the local hospital. Kirsi was already outside with Sparky waiting for me. I thanked him making him smile at me before he headed back inside. 

The cabbie rushed to the hospital, afraid he was about to have two women popping out babies in his backseat. I helped her waddle into the ER. She wasn't very dilated yet and her contractions weren't close enough that they wanted to admit her. I explained that her husband was in a band and they were playing a show tonight. We didn't want to go back to the venue. They let us stay and advised us to walk up and down the hall to help "the process" along. Deja vu! An hour later and my phone rang. 

"Hey, I'm, uh, heading to the.....mmmmm.... hospital." Taimi exclaimed

"Sis, you ok?" I asked, raising my eyebrow even though she couldn't see it

"I..... I'm having contractions." She confessed, "My cab just got here. See you in a few."

"Oh my God. See you when you get here." I said before hanging up

"What's going on?" Kirsi asked

"Taimi's in labor too! This is Deja Vu!" I laughed

"You and her gave birth on the same day. Think we will too?" Kirsi asked before bending forward with a contraction

"I don't know. Maybe." I chuckled as I rubbed my sister's back

Well this is certainly interesting! Taimi finally arrived as we were making our umpteenth trek down the hall. I got her up to speed on Kirsi as a contraction hit Taimi. 

"Sweetie, are you ok?" A nurse asked

"She's in labor too and just got here to help support our sister." I said making the nurse look at all of us

"Ok, let's get you into a room so you can be checked out." She told Taimi, "Uh, keep walking until I come back."

Kirsi and I laughed as we began walking again. Shinedown's show would end later than Home Free's so I knew they'd get here first. That was really a good thing. I was going to need a lot of help with my two in-labor sisters! As we were coming back through, I noticed a doctor entering the room Taimi was in. Man, how did we do this? Getting pregnant about the same time, giving birth about the same time. Only us, I suppose! Kirsi wanted to go lay down so I walked her back to her room as the doctor left Taimi and then followed us.

I left them alone as I went to check on Taimi. She smiled and then began laughing.

"Dilated to five already. Contractions not close enough yet but I'll probably pop by the end of the night. Or so the doctor says." She told me

"Well ain't this just fabulous!" I laughed, "I'll be running back and forth between y'alls rooms then until the fellas get here."

"We love you, sis." Taimi said with a smile

I excused myself to go check on Kirsi.

"Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey." She said as a contraction hit her

"What did the doc say?" I asked

"Dilated to six. He says I should be ready to push sometime tonight." She told me

"That's what he told Taimi. If you both pop before midnight, y'alls kids will have the same birthday! Just like Kenzie and Regan." I laughed

"Oh man. I don't know how y'all did this!" She said

"It's easier when the love of your life is here. Just remember, the pain is temporary. Once you see that precious baby, you'll be overcome with love, joy, and relief!" I told her

Suddenly I had to pee so I excused myself to use her bathroom. I did my business quickly. As I stood up, there came a flood. My eyes went wide as I hoped what happened is not what I think happened. My sisters need me and I can't be in labor myself! I was cleaning myself up when a contraction hit. Oh Lord. This is gonna be a fun night! I left the bathroom and smiled at my sister. No, I wasn't going to tell either of them. Yet.

"I am so thirsty." Kirsi pouted making me laugh

"I'll see about getting you some water. Be right back." I told her

I walked into Taimi's room, "Need some water?"

"Oh God, yes." She retorted

I left her room and walked to the nurse's desk. With a sweet smile, I asked for a cup of water for each of my sisters. The blond behind the desk chuckled and said she'd get them one. I thanked her as I walked back into Taimi's room. I told her water should be coming soon. She asked me how Kirsi was doing. I chuckled and said she was a bit freaked out. Taimi told me to go check on her. Kirsi needed someone more than she did since we'd both done this before. I patted her leg before getting up. A contraction hit me as I walked out of her room and I hoped she didn't notice it.

"How are you doing?" I asked, walking into Kirsi's room

"Oh man." She laughed, " I'm not sure I can do this!"

"You'll be fine, I promise." I chuckled, "Do you need anything?"

The nurse walked in with one of those clear plastic cups that they could measure how much water you were drinking. I helped Kirsi get some water as the nurse checked her vitals. She was doing good, according to the nurse, so I went to check on Taimi. That's how I spent my evening. Running back and forth between their rooms. Or standing in the hallway breathing through my own contractions. They were coming closer together, longer, and I knew it wouldn't be long before I just couldn't keep running between my sisters' rooms. 

"Oh my God, babe! Both your sisters are having babies tonight! It's Deja Vu all over again!" I heard Tim's deep voice state, "What's wrong?"

"Hmm? Oooooooooh noooooothingggggggggggggg." I exclaimed, doubling over

"Where's my wife?" Austin asked, jogging up to where we were standing

I pointed to her room. Adam came to a stop by us as this contraction finally finished.

"You're in labor, too, aren't you?" Tim suddenly asked

"Neither of them know it. I've been running back and forth between their rooms trying to help. Especially Kirsi since this is her first child." I said with a chuckle

"I'll go find a nurse." Adam quietly said

"Baby, you should have called someone." Tim fake-scolded me

"Call who? Y'all were in the middle of a show! Luke is watching the kids. Shinedown won't be done with their set for another hour or so and they need all their crew." I stated as Adam returned with a nurse

"I've already prepared a room for you, sweetie." She told me, making me look at her in shock, "I know a woman in labor when I see one. You're sweet for helping out your sisters."

"She's kind of stubborn." Tim laughed

She got me settled in a room on the other side of Kirsi. People started showing up at the hospital. The doctor came in to check me out so everyone left to see Kirsi and Taimi. He did his exam as Tim leaned down to kiss me. We were about to have our second baby. This time we were having a girl. It made me happy. Now we'd have one boy and one girl. The doctor sat up and said I'd dilated to nine already and that I'd be ready to push within the hour. Austin came in with Rob and Adam.

"Hey, sweetie. Thanks for staying with Taimi." Austin said, patting my leg

"You guys plan this, don't you?" Rob stated making me laugh

"Yep. Right down to our ovulation cycles." I retorted, laughing

"Well, Kirsi is almost ready to deliver according to the nurse." Chance said as he walked in

"Someone needs to be in there with her. This is her first baby and she's scared." I exclaimed 

"Calm down, Lilja. I'll go stay with her until Brent gets here." Rob calmly stated

He leaned down to kiss my forehead. I smiled back as he left the room. Well, she'll be delivering soon. I'll be ready to push before long. Austin said he was going to head back to his wife's room. Chance said he'd go with him. Once again, it was just Tim and Adam with me. But now there was a third pregnant woman in our camp! The doc came in and introduced me to another doctor. He said that he was going to stay with Kirsi since she was so close to giving birth and since I'd already had a baby, he felt he would be better for the woman who was giving birth for the first time. I just told him to take care of my sister.

Adam finally left us alone as it got time for me to push. It wasn't close to midnight yet. Push, breath, push, breath, push, breath. It was as cycle. One last big push and we were done. Then I heard it. Our little girl's cry. The nurse cleaned her up as I laid back and Tim kissed me. The doctor told me I'd done really well and congratulated us on our new bundle of joy. The nurse handed her to Tim who was just beaming at his little girl. 

"What's the cutie's name, daddy?" The nurse asked my husband

He looked over at me and smiled, "Averie Michelle Foust."

"What a beautiful name." She stated as Tim rocked Averie in his arms

He laid her in my arms so he could move a chair to sit beside the bed. I was cooing at her when there came a knock at my door about half an hour later. Rob entered with a smile.

"Hey guys. Kirsi is doing fine. She wanted you to meet little Jagger Lane Smith." Rob said, handing the little boy to Tim

"Oh, what a handsome little guy! Brent's gonna be sad he missed it." I stated

"Yeah but he'll be so excited to see his new baby. Kirsi's tired but she did really well." Rob told us

"Thank you so much for staying with her, Rob. That means the world to me. And I'm sure it means the world to Brent." I said

"It's ok." He said, "Let me take him back to his momma."

"Well, if these kids are gonna have the same birthday, Taimi better get to pushing!" Tim said making me laugh

"I love you, Timothy." I said making him look up at me, "I love my life with you. I love what you've given me. I love everything about you."

"I love you too, Lilja. You make me so happy. I never thought I'd be this happy but here I am." He chuckled, leaning over to kiss me and then Averie

"Hey guys. There's someone I want you to meet." Austin said as he entered our room holding a baby, "This is Matthew Shane."

"Aww, Austin. What a cutie. This is Averie Michelle. How's Taimi?" I asked

"Tired but happy." He chuckled, handing his little boy to Tim

"I bet!" Tim laughed, "He's really cute, man."

"We should get the three babies together and get their first 'family photo'. It would be cute." I stated

Austin laughed and said he'd talk to Taimi. We chatted for a little while before Austin took their son back to Taimi's room. We'd be here overnight but that was fine since they weren't set to leave until tomorrow afternoon. We could hear Brent panicking in the hallway which made us all laugh.


End file.
